Man in Hot Water for Going Berserk At Public Pool

A Mahopac man has a lot of explaining to do when he appears in Carmel Town Court next month following his arrest at a public pool in Mahopac.

Carmel Police were summoned last week at 8:30pm to the pool on Marina Drive overlooking Lake Mahopac for a report of a man smashing items in the pool area.

Lt. Brian Karst told the COURIER that Sgt. Robert Behan and Officer Frank Chibbaro who were patrolling the lake in a police launch at the time responded and docked in the vicinity while Sgt. Craig D’Andrea and Officers Ernie Iarussi and Michael Sheil arrived by police car.

The officers captured the suspect, Bryce Lutkenhaus, 33, as he allegedly attempted to flee on a family member’s boat.

Lt. Karst said Lutkenhaus, who was intoxicated, destroyed numerous items in the pool area while reportedly exposing his genitals to several persons nearby, including a 16-year-old girl and 8-year-old boy.

Lutkenhaus was also accused of pulling the hair of the 16-year-old and activating the fire alarm at the complex, which brought a full compliment of Mahopac firefighters to the scene.

Lutkenhaus was charged with one count of felony criminal mischief as well as public lewdness, endangering the welfare of a child, and falsely reporting an incident.

He was arraigned by Judge Joseph Spofford in Carmel Town Court and was released without bail pending future court action.

District Attorney Adam Levy said the most serious offense—criminal mischief—was a Class D felony carrying a potential seven-year state prison term if found guilty.

— Eric Gross