Police: Man's car almost hit woman during Route 11 confrontation, crash

Albert Edward Sharpe (Rochester Police photo)

COPYRIGHT2017© ROCHESTER - A large police and fire presence was on hand on Farmington Road in the area of Hagan's Motor Pool Wednesday afternoon when a man allegedly crashed his car into a van in which a female acquaintance had fled after he allegedly almost hit her as she walked along the road's shoulder.

Police first became involved in the incident a little after 3 p.m. when there was a report of an accident on Farmington Road near the auto dealership.

According to Rochester Police Capt. Jason Thomas, witnesses told arriving police that they had seen the man almost hit her, causing one Good Samaritan to pull over and offer the woman sanctuary in her van.

Then the suspect is alleged to have driven his car in a reckless fashion causing it to strike the van, Thomas added.

After several interviews with witnesses and principals it was found that the man had been driving with the female acquaintance to a garage in Farmington to drop off his car for repair, while his mother followed in her vehicle.

During the drive to the unnamed auto repair shop, the woman became distraught at what she described as the suspect's erratic driving, Thomas said.

He added that the female refused to get back in the car with the man's mother and began walking back down Farmington Road toward Rochester after the car was dropped off, leading to the confrontation down the road near Hagan's Motor Pool.

As a result of the incident, Albert Edward Sharpe, 47, of 23 Seasons Lane, Rochester was arrested at the scene on charges of reckless conduct: placing another in danger, a Class B felony; and misdemeanor reckless operation.

The felony charge is for allegedly almost hitting her while she was walking, while the reckless operation was for hitting the van. The felony charge can result in up to seven years in state prison.