On May 16, 2024, the Broome County Sheriff’s Office and the Madison County Sheriff’s Office attempted to serve an arrest warrant on Michael S. DeBottis, 37, of Georgetown, in connection with domestic-related charges out of Broome County. At that time, DeBottis fled patrols in a motor vehicle.
On May 20, the agencies again attempted to serve the arrest warrants on Debottis. When contacted by patrols, DeBottis fled on foot to a large farm tractor that was parked on his property. He entered the tractor and led deputies on a pursuit.
Police say that during the pursuit, DeBottis used the tractor and its bucket to strike an armored sheriff’s vehicle head-on, causing damage to the vehicle. He continued to flee patrols in the farm tractor, eventually evading ground units by entering a heavily wooded area off Chapman Road in Georgetown.
DeBottis was located by Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office Air-1 helicopter a short time later, hiding under a boat off State Route 80 in Georgetown. He was taken into custody without further incident; no deputies were injured during the incident. He was charged with three counts each of first-degree attempted assault and attempted aggravated assault of a police officer, both class C felonies; three counts of first-degree reckless endangerment and one count of second-degree criminal mischief, both class D felonies; and three counts of second-degree menacing, one count of obstructing governmental administration and resisting arrest, all class A misdemeanors.
DeBottis was transported to Community Memorial Hospital in Hamilton for evaluation of dehydration.
Upon release from the hospital, DeBottis was arraigned in Madison County CAP Court. The Broome County arrest warrants have been filed with the Madison County Jail to be executed upon DeBottis’ release.
The Madison County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Broome County Sheriff’s Office, Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, state Department of Environmental Conservation officers, state police, Georgetown Fire Department, Georgetown Ambulance, New Woodstock Fire Department and the Madison County Office of Emergency Management.