(WNY News Now) – ELLICOTT, N.Y. — A Falconer man faces multiple charges after an alleged assault at a local motel led to his arrest early Tuesday morning, according to the Town of Ellicott Police Department.
Police report that Rodolfo C. Tanco III, 43, of Falconer, was charged with Assault in the Third Degree, Criminal Obstruction of Breathing, Menacing in the Third Degree, and Harassment in the Second Degree following an incident on April 7, 2026, at approximately 1:24 a.m.
Officers responded to a report of an assault at the Budget Inn in the Town of Ellicott. According to investigators, Tanco allegedly engaged in an altercation with another individual inside a room at the motel. During the incident, he is accused of preventing the victim from leaving by pinning them against a wall by the throat. Police further allege that Tanco held a knife to the victim’s cheek during the confrontation.
The victim was eventually able to escape the room and flee the location, police said.
Following the incident, officers applied for an arrest warrant. Tanco was later located and taken into custody at approximately 1:24 a.m. the same day while police were investigating an unrelated matter. Authorities also determined that he had an outstanding warrant issued by the Town of Ellicott Police Department in connection with a separate incident dating back to 2022.
Tanco was transported to the Chautauqua County Jail for centralized arraignment proceedings. He is scheduled to appear in the Town of Ellicott Court at a later date to respond to the charges. As are all persons accused of a crime, the accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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