A 21-year-old Fulton man wanted on a first-degree rape warrant was taken into custody Wednesday after leading New York State Police on a chase that stretched from Oswego County into a Liverpool neighborhood, where he abandoned his motorcycle and ran on foot with a female passenger before K9 teams and a helicopter crew helped box him in.
Traffic Stop Turns Into Cross-County Pursuit
According to Newport Dispatch, Nickolas R. Gartner failed to stop when troopers attempted to pull over his motorcycle, then fled and abandoned the bike, which was later found near 12 Crown Road in Liverpool. The New York State Police say the chase began around 10 a.m. Wednesday when troopers tried to stop Gartner's motorcycle in Fulton, with Gartner refusing to pull over before heading south across the county line into Onondaga County. Crown Road sits roughly 20 miles south of Fulton and the Town of Volney, according to the same state police account, bridging two neighboring Central New York counties.
Troopers say Gartner was seen fleeing on foot alongside a female passenger after ditching the motorcycle. The suspect was described as about 5 feet 7 inches tall and 200 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes, last seen wearing a black shirt and black pants, per the same report. His companion was described as having dark hair, a small build, and was last seen in a brown jacket and blue jeans. The identity and legal status of that woman remain unknown.
Felony Warrant Out of Volney Court
Gartner was wanted on an arrest warrant issued by the Town of Volney Court in Oswego County. The warrant listed rape in the first degree, a class B felony, as the lead charge, along with luring a child, a class D felony, according to Newport Dispatch. He also faced sexual misconduct and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, all class A misdemeanors, the outlet reported.
Under New York Penal Law § 130.35, rape in the first degree carries a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of 25 years, according to Lebedin Kofman LLP, with a conviction also triggering mandatory sex offender registration. Luring a child, under Penal Law § 120.70, is a class D felony.
Helicopters, K9 Units Swarm Liverpool Neighborhood
The search drew a heavy multi-agency response. New York State Police Troop D assets worked alongside Onondaga County Sheriff's deputies, K9 search units, and State Police Aviation helicopters to set up a perimeter and locate Gartner, according to the state police account and Finger Lakes Daily News. Troopers urged residents near Crown Road to expect an increased police presence and told anyone who spotted Gartner not to approach him, since it was not known whether he was armed, Newport Dispatch reported. Anyone with information was told to call 911 immediately with his location, description, and direction of travel.
By Wednesday afternoon, the manhunt ended. New York State Police updated their release to announce that Gartner had been located and taken into custody following the multi-agency search, according to Oswego County Today.
A Local Tradesman With No Public Record Until Now
Before Wednesday's chase, Gartner worked locally as a livestock and equine farrier, offering horseshoeing and hoof-trimming services across Oswego, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Jefferson counties, according to business listings reviewed on Facebook. He graduated from G. Ray Bodley High School in Fulton in 2023 with magna cum laude honors, having posted a four-year cumulative GPA between 90.0 and 94.999, Oswego County Today reported at the time of his graduation.
Key details remain unresolved, including the identity and legal status of the woman seen fleeing with Gartner, the specific circumstances behind the Volney Court warrant, and the timing of his arraignment in Oswego County.
