Anthony Pilato pleads guilty to damaging Durand-Eastman trail

Alan Morrell

A restitution hearing is scheduled for Jan. 22 to determine how much an Irondequoit man will have to pay for bulldozing a trail in Durand-Eastman Park.

Anthony Pilato, 72, of White Tail Rise, pleaded guilty Friday in City Court to a violation of Monroe County Parks law that prohibits damage to any part of a park, said Assistant District Attorney Kevin Clark. City Court Judge John Elliott will hold the restitution hearing in his courtroom.

Monroe County Park Director Larry Staub Jr. estimated costs at just over $10,000, which would include roughly $2,500 for materials such as trees and shrubs, mulch and barriers; $2,400 for the use of equipment; and $5,100 for labor.

"It's in a very unnatural state now, having been scoured by a bulldozer," said Staub, who had been subpoenaed to testify in the bench trial.

Leaving the park the way it is would leave the park open to illegal use, such as all-terrain vehicles, Staub said.

Parks officials said Pilato widened a footpath into a 10-foot thoroughfare covering three-quarters of a mile.

Pilato's lawyer, Ralph Horton, previously said the charges were nonsense and alleged that Pilato did little more than move a downed tree off a path. He did not return telephone calls for comment on Friday.

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Source: http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20091219/ROCEARTH04/312190012

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