Victim critical after attack

GREIG — A Lyons Falls man was listed in critical condition late Saturday after being shot at 10:20 p.m. Friday outside a town of Greig residence.

Louis S. Meszaros, 50, Pine Grove Road, allegedly shot Jamie W. Duvelow in the chest with a shotgun in the driveway of the Meszaros residence, according to Lewis County Sheriff L. Michael Tabolt.

Mr. Duvelow, 24, whose last known address was Rumble Road, Lyons Falls, was taken by Lewis County Search and Rescue to Lewis County General Hospital, Lowville, where he underwent emergency surgery, deputies said. He was transferred to Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, for further treatment.

Mr. Duvelow was listed in serious condition prior to transport, but his condition was later changed to critical and remained at that level at 10 p.m. Saturday.

Meszaros was taken into custody without incident, charged with first-degree assault, arraigned in Greig Town Court and sent to Lewis County jail, Lowville, on $100,000 bail to await grand jury action.

District Attorney Leanne K. Moser declined to comment extensively since the investigation is ongoing. However, she did say that further charges are possible and expressed hope for the victim's recovery.

Mr. Duvelow — a visitor at the Cobb residence across the road from Meszaros's home — was apparently shot once after he walked onto the man's driveway, Sheriff Tabolt said. The blast sprayed numerous small projectiles, rather than a single slug, resulting in multiple wounds, he said.

A search warrant was executed Saturday morning, and the weapon was recovered, Sheriff Tabolt said.

Meszaros had called dispatchers about six minutes before the alleged shooting to complain about excessive noise from an all-terrain vehicle being driven in the neighborhood, and patrols arrived soon after the incident, Sheriff Tabolt said. He was uncertain if Mr. Duvelow had been driving the ATV.

"Things are pretty sketchy," Sheriff Tabolt said, noting Meszaros had invoked his right not to be interviewed without an attorney present. "It was kind of a strange, strange, strange deal."

While deputies have responded to a number of complaints from Meszaros in the past, there were no prior incidents involving any type of violence, the sheriff said.

However, Greig Town Supervisor Marilyn E. Patterson said she wasn't completely surprised when she heard about the shooting.

"I feared that something like this would happen," Mrs. Patterson said.

The supervisor said Meszaros, who put up tarps and fences to help seclude his residence, had been having problems with neighbors for some time and often complained about excessive noise and vehicles speeding past his house.

Town officials also had to step in earlier this winter when he put up a 10-foot-tall fence around his home that well exceeded the allowable height in town zoning law, Mrs. Patterson said.

However, she said, he was cooperative in taking it down and frequently called to compliment her on the town's ongoing plans to update zoning laws.

"He was always very polite to me," she said.

Meszaros seemed to be fearful of his neighbors and other people, Mrs. Patterson said. "I think he just felt threatened by the world, really," she said.

However, the supervisor said she didn't fault law enforcement officials, since there wasn't a lot they could legally do about the situation.

"I hope now that they do something to help him," she said. "My heart goes out to both of the families."

State and Lowville police assisted at the scene, as did county Emergency Medical Services Coordinator Mark J. Tuttle.

Mr. Duvelow in September 2007 was sentenced in Lewis County Court to nine months in county jail on a charge of third-degree burglary for breaking into a garage in Brantingham and taking several items. He was charged in December with first-degree criminal contempt for allegedly striking his girlfriend, but that case is still pending.