Bishop Fraser was arrested Saturday for three counts each of first-degree reckless endangerment and first-degree unlawful imprisonment, both felonies, according to a release from State Police. Charges were filed in municipal courts in Watervliet, Colonie and Menands, Trooper Stephanie O’Neil later confirmed. Fraser also faces multiple vehicle and traffic infractions, a Watervliet court official said.
State Police received a call just after noon the previous Friday for a car driving down I-787 with a woman clinging to its hood, but were unable to locate the vehicle, the release said. A Facebook post on the Two Buttons Deep site appears to show the alleged incident.
Around the same time, Albany police responded to the area of Henry Johnson Boulevard and Livingston Avenue for similar reports. They found the car unattended in the area of First and Judson streets and arrested its driver, Fraser, shortly after, according to an earlier release from Albany police.
The woman was later found unharmed, police said. An order of protection was issued for her Saturday in Albany City Court.
Fraser was charged Friday by Albany police with second-degree reckless endangerment, a misdemeanor. He was arraigned Saturday morning in city court and pleaded not guilty. A conference is scheduled for July 5. He appeared Wednesday afternoon in Watervliet City Court for a preliminary hearing, which was rescheduled for noon Wednesday, June 14. Town of Colonie court officials said Fraser’s case there was transferred to Albany County Court following an appearance Wednesday evening. Menands Village Court officials did not respond to inquiries about the case.
Police did not confirm if the woman had gotten on the hood of the car willingly, but Fraser’s attorney Joseph Ahearn said Wednesday she had gotten out of the car and onto the hood while it was stopped at a red light in Troy.
“She put herself in harm,” Ahearn said.
“Regardless whether she got on the hood willingly or not his actions were reckless,” Albany police spokesperson Steven Smith previously said of the incident.
Fraser was placed under pre-trial supervision with electronic monitoring for the next 60 days for the charges out of Albany. He was sent to Albany County jail in lieu of $20,000 bail, $30,000 bond or $40,000 partially-secured bond for the felony charges.