An elderly homeowner thwarted an apparent break-in early Friday night when he twice shot the perpetrator in his home.
Stephen Boyechko was napping with his wife in the bedroom of his ranch-style home at 8016 Brown Road when he was awakened by the sound of breaking glass in a nearby bathroom, Steuben County Chief Deputy Noel Terwilliger said at the scene.
Boyechko, in his mid-80s, then grabbed a handgun and confronted the would-be burglar and fired twice, striking him in the abdomen and the groin.
The name of the would-be burglar was not released, but he was described as a male in his 40s. He was airlifted to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester for treatment, Terwilliger said. The alleged burglar was not armed, he said.
Boyechko and his wife, Pauline, were not injured but were taken to Ira Davenport in Bath as a precaution.
The shooting occurred at about 7:10 p.m. and Boyechko called 911 to report the incident. Police found the wounded man in a hallway outside the bathroom conscious and alert, Terwilliger said.
The break-in could be related to a string of burglaries recently reported in the Bath area, Terwilliger said. Those burglaries occurred during the day when homeowners were away or at work.
In Friday’s incident, the Boyechko’s home could have been mistaken as unoccupied. The alleged burglar drove a silver Chevrolet Venture about 80 yards down the Boyechko’s driveway before parking in front of a garage attached to the home.
The home sits on an isolated stretch of country road, located about three miles northeast of Prattsburgh.
Sheriff’s investigators and the state police are handling the case and charges are pending.
Also responding were Rural Metro, Pulteney and Prattsburgh ambulance and the Pulteney Fire Department.
