Susan DaVia has been employed with the Cayuga County Department of Motor Vehicles for 17 years, but this was surely one of her most exciting - and disgusting - days of all.
DaVia was being hailed as a hero Wednesday afternoon, following her pursuit of a man later arrested on charges that he emptied a container of human waste into a men's room floor drain at the county office building, located at 160 Genesee St., Auburn.
County employees on the first floor had been on the lookout for the dumper for several weeks, DaVia said, noting that this was the fourth time that someone had seen - and smelled - the mess left behind.
And so when DaVia saw a man, later identified as 60-year-old Aurora resident David Kauber, walking out of the first floor men's room carrying a container the size of an ice chest around 10 a.m. Wednesday, she figured she had found the culprit.
Coffee pot in hand, she tried to push Kauber into the DMV office.
“I started yelling something about ‘We've got him!'” DaVia said, noting that Kauber responded by smiling and giggling.
He then exited the building, and DaVia walked behind him at “a steady pace” up until he turned the corner, as she didn't want to be out of the eyesight of her colleague.
County employees alerted a sheriff's deputy who provides security for the office building, and the Auburn Police Department was called in to assist, said Cayuga County Sheriff Rob Outhouse, whose office is now handling the investigation. Police made the traffic stop of Kauber on East Genesee Street, Outhouse said.
Kauber was arraigned in city court and has a reappearance date scheduled for March 7, Outhouse said. He faces a maximum of 15 days in jail for the alleged infraction. He was formerly charged with disorderly conduct.
The sheriff's office is also investigating whether or not Kauber may have violated health codes or environmental law, which could possibly result in additional charges, Outhouse added.
Brian Dahl, director of the county's emergency management office, asked the Auburn Fire Department to investigate. Assistant Chief Terry Winslow said that the department conducted air quality tests shortly after 11 a.m. and deemed the area a non-hazardous environment.
DaVia said that the smell from the bathroom had been almost unbearable in the past instances.
“Everybody couldn't wait to get out of here,” she said, “and a couple of us were just gagging.”
Outhouse said that his office is looking to determine why Kauber might have dumped the materials and if he has done so before. Kauber may have been involved in at least two previous incidents, he added.
County Clerk Sue Dwyer, whose office is next to the restroom, expressed relief that the possible perpetrator had been caught. She is giving her parking space to DaVia for the next two weeks.
“I'm proud and not at all surprised that one of our employees went above and beyond the call of duty,” Dwyer said.
Some county employees used their lunch hour to go home and make DaVia certificates of excellence for her ability to pursue Kauber while she was holding a coffee pot and wearing high heels.
She also received commendation from the self-proclaimed Poop Watchers Group and was told several times that ladies from the DMV don't take, well, you know.
Staff writer Linda Ober can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 237 or linda.ober@lee.net
County employees on the first floor had been on the lookout for the dumper for several weeks, DaVia said, noting that this was the fourth time that someone had seen - and smelled - the mess left behind.
And so when DaVia saw a man, later identified as 60-year-old Aurora resident David Kauber, walking out of the first floor men's room carrying a container the size of an ice chest around 10 a.m. Wednesday, she figured she had found the culprit.
Coffee pot in hand, she tried to push Kauber into the DMV office.
“I started yelling something about ‘We've got him!'” DaVia said, noting that Kauber responded by smiling and giggling.
He then exited the building, and DaVia walked behind him at “a steady pace” up until he turned the corner, as she didn't want to be out of the eyesight of her colleague.
County employees alerted a sheriff's deputy who provides security for the office building, and the Auburn Police Department was called in to assist, said Cayuga County Sheriff Rob Outhouse, whose office is now handling the investigation. Police made the traffic stop of Kauber on East Genesee Street, Outhouse said.
Kauber was arraigned in city court and has a reappearance date scheduled for March 7, Outhouse said. He faces a maximum of 15 days in jail for the alleged infraction. He was formerly charged with disorderly conduct.
The sheriff's office is also investigating whether or not Kauber may have violated health codes or environmental law, which could possibly result in additional charges, Outhouse added.
Brian Dahl, director of the county's emergency management office, asked the Auburn Fire Department to investigate. Assistant Chief Terry Winslow said that the department conducted air quality tests shortly after 11 a.m. and deemed the area a non-hazardous environment.
DaVia said that the smell from the bathroom had been almost unbearable in the past instances.
“Everybody couldn't wait to get out of here,” she said, “and a couple of us were just gagging.”
Outhouse said that his office is looking to determine why Kauber might have dumped the materials and if he has done so before. Kauber may have been involved in at least two previous incidents, he added.
County Clerk Sue Dwyer, whose office is next to the restroom, expressed relief that the possible perpetrator had been caught. She is giving her parking space to DaVia for the next two weeks.
“I'm proud and not at all surprised that one of our employees went above and beyond the call of duty,” Dwyer said.
Some county employees used their lunch hour to go home and make DaVia certificates of excellence for her ability to pursue Kauber while she was holding a coffee pot and wearing high heels.
She also received commendation from the self-proclaimed Poop Watchers Group and was told several times that ladies from the DMV don't take, well, you know.
Staff writer Linda Ober can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 237 or linda.ober@lee.net
