Weapons, drugs seized after Yates chase

PENN YAN — Police seized a substantial amount of weapons, drugs and money following a high-speed chase early Thursday morning in which a suspected Kingsmen MC member allegedly drove through a farmer’s field, an electric fence and hit a barn before he was captured.

Bradley Zadul, 39, of Niagara Falls, was charged with aggravated criminal possession of a weapon, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, criminal use of a firearm, criminal use of drug paraphernalia, resisting arrest, and unlawfully fleeing a police officer.

Penn Yan Police Chief Thomas Dunham said Zadul could face more charges after bags of suspected methamphetamine and marijuana are tested.

Dunham said the incident started about 2:30 a.m., when police saw Zadul leaving a suspected drug location in Penn Yan. Officers stopped Zadul for driving an uninspected vehicle, but Dunham said Zadul sped away while officers were approaching his vehicle.

Officers pursued Zadul through the village and onto Buckle Road in Benton, where he allegedly drove through a farmer’s field and an electric fence. The vehicle hit a barn before going into a ditch.

Dunham said Zadul tried to flee on foot, but was Tasered by a Yates County deputy. He was taken into custody as were two passengers, Charles Buchanan, 38, of Penn Yan and Jessica Owen, 31, of Florida.

While frisking Zadul, Dunham said police founded a loaded handgun in his waistband and a large knife. Police later found a sawed-off shotgun in the vehicle that had the serial number defaced, along with several bags of suspected meth and marijuana.

Police impounded the vehicle and allegedly found another gun, numerous bags of marijuana seeds, more than $1,100 in cash, a baton, knives, and other drug paraphernalia.

Dunham said Zadul appears to be a member of the Kingsmen Motorcycle Club, which federal officials have called a criminal organization engaged in such crimes as distribution of drugs, sale of weapons, and promoting prostitution. The group also has been tied to murders in Western New York.

Dunham said local police found a full Kingsmen vest in Zadul’s vehicle, along with numerous Kingsmen patches. The chief added that Zadul, a convicted felon, cannot legally have weapons.

Buchanan and Owen also were arrested on weapons charges. They were arraigned at the Yates County Jail, with Buchanan remanded in lieu of $5,000 bail or $10,000 bond, and Owen in lieu of $10,000 bail or $20,000 bond.

Zadul was remanded without bail.

Dunham said police do not know the connection between Zadul and Buchanan, but said Zadul was apparently going to take Buchanan to the Cattaraugus Reservation. Dunham believes Owen is the girlfriend of Zadul, who used to live in Florida.

“We have been talking to them, but we don’t think they are telling us the truth,” Dunham said. “It was good to get these people off the streets.”

Source: Finger Lakes Times