APD first on scene of shooting in Newstead, subjects arrested for other recent crimes

An Akron Police officer was the first on the scene of a shooting at 12976 Main Road in the Town of Newstead on Tuesday night, taking two subjects into custody, according to Akron Police Chief Rick Lauricella.

Erie County Sheriff Timothy B. Howard reports one of the subjects is charged for their role in the December 22 shooting incident, as well as a Clarence burglary on October 18.

Also, a female at the scene was arrested and charged for her role in an incident at a Clarence grocery store on December 17.

At approximately 7:15 p.m., December 22, Deputies responded with Akron Police Department officers to an establishment at 12976 Main Road in the Town of Newstead for a disturbance call. Upon arrival, they encountered a 34-year-old male with a gunshot to his lower extremities at which time the man and woman at the scene were taken into custody; Deputies recovered the handgun used in the shooting.

The investigation determined 49-year-old Spencer Nowinski of Sardinia shot the victim. Nowinski, a convicted felon on parole, used a handgun stolen from a residential burglary in Clarence reported on October 18, 2020.

Nowinski is charged with multiple felonies stemming from both incidents:

Charges for the 12/22 incident:· Assault in the first degree with a weapon;· Criminal possession of a weapon in the second-degree; Criminal use of a firearm in the first degree; Criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth-degree.

Charges for the 10/18 incident: Burglary in the second-degree dwelling; Grand larceny in the third-degree; Grand larceny in the fourth-degree.

During the December 22 investigation, the Sheriff’s Office determined that 37-year-old Arica Uptegrove was responsible for setting a fire in the women’s bathroom at a Clarence grocery store.

Uptegrove was arrested and charged with felony counts of arson in the second-degree and criminal mischief – 2nd.

Both Nowinski and Uptegrove are held at the Erie County Holding Center, pending their arraignments.

The shooting victim was treated at Erie County Medical Center and released.

A motive for the shooting has not been determined.