Trooper accused of stealing mulch

Trooper accused of stealing mulch
The Utica Observer-Dispatch by COURTNEY POTTS - April 23, 2009

ROME, NY —A state trooper from Oriskany was charged with petit larceny today after he allegedly took truckloads of mulch from Mohawk Valley Mulch Inc. in Rome, state police in Oneida said. Trooper David Volz, 28, was suspended without pay from his duties at the Herkimer barracks as a result of the incident, troopers said. Keller said Volz was observed at 11 p.m. Wednesday loading a borrowed dump truck with mulch for which he had not paid. Mohawk Valley Mulch Co-owner Tricia Rutkowski Thursday said she did not want to discuss specifics of the incident. "We don’t want to interfere with what charge is made to this individual," she said. "We are happy so far with the way the state police are handling the investigation." Rutkowski said she and her husband charge approximately $40 per cubic yard for mulch, which would put the estimated value of a pick-up truck's worth at about $320. City of Rome police officers made the initial arrest, but turned the investigation over to the state police. An incident report could not be released Thursday, state police spokesman Jack Keller said. Volz was issued an appearance ticket for City of Rome Court on the misdemeanor petit larceny charge and is scheduled to return to court at 9 a.m. on May 1st. He also was ticketed for driving an unregistered, uninspected motor vehicle with no insurance, police said.