LIBERTY — On Monday, April 7, 2025, the Village of Liberty Police Department arrested Nigdrew Reynolds, 32, of Liberty, following an investigation into a violent incident at the Knights Inn Hotel on State Route 52 in the Village of Liberty.

Liberty Police officers responded to the hotel after receiving a report of a broken door and a possible altercation involving a dog. Responding officers located and arrested Reynolds at the scene without incident.

The investigation revealed that Reynolds had thrown a rock through a hotel window and forcibly and unlawfully entered the hotel room by breaking down the door. Once inside, he began assaulting the occupant and a dog that was in the room. The altercation spilled into the hallway, where bystanders witnessed Reynolds abusing the dog. Several intervened and physically tackled him to prevent further harm to the animal.

During the chaos, Reynolds, a bystander, and the dog’s owner sustained injuries caused by the dog as it attempted to defend itself and its owner.

Reynolds was charged with Burglary in the 2nd Degree, two counts of Criminal Mischief in the 3rd Degree (felonies), Assault in the 3rd Degree, and Overdriving, Torturing, and Injuring an Animal (misdemeanors). He was arraigned in the Town of Liberty Court and remanded to the Sullivan County Jail without bail.

 Chief of Police Steven D’Agata stated, “This is yet another example of a disturbing and violent incident at this location—one of several in just the past two weeks. The frequency and severity of these events highlight a systemic failure in how individuals are being housed here. While the Liberty Police Department remains committed to both proactive crime reduction and swift response when incidents occur, it is clear we cannot arrest our way out of this problem. Meaningful, systemic changes are urgently needed.”

Criminal charges are merely allegations that a defendant has committed violations of the criminal law, and as such they are not evidence of guilt. All defendants have a presumption of innocence and are entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the burden of the State of New York to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.