After learning that a fugitive from justice from New Jersey was traveling in the area, town police captured the man on the afternoon of Tuesday, August 16. 

At about 2:46 pm, police learned that Matthew R. Howarth, 25, of Gloucester County, N.J., was being sought by the New Jersey Department of Corrections for having escaped from house arrest, police said.

Howarth, who was wearing a global positioning system (GPS) ankle unit, was reported to be traveling northward in Newtown on South Main Street, based on signals transmitted by that GPS unit, police said.

Initially, police Officer Adam Greco spotted the Ford Taurus sedan which Howarth was driving on South Main Street, near Swamp Road, police said.

Howarth fled from police, traveling northward on South Main Street. He then became involved in a minor accident with another vehicle, police said.

After Howarth was spotted driving erratically on South Main Street, police said they cut off their pursuit.

A short time later, a Grand Place resident reported to police that a man was running through the resident's yard. Police went to Grand Place and found the Ford Taurus from which Howarth had fled. Grand Place is a dead-end street.

Howarth had jumped over a fence and entered the St Rose Church campus, police said. After being spotted on the church grounds, police pursued Howarth on foot, and found him hiding beneath a staircase near St Rose School, police said.

Police said they took Howarth into custody without incident or injury. Howarth offered no resistance to being arrested, police said, adding that he did not have a weapon.

Police arrested Howarth on charges of interfering with police, reckless driving, evading responsibility, violating a stop sign, engaging in pursuit, and being a fugitive from justice.

Police held him on $100,000 bail overnight for an August 17 arraignment in Danbury Superior Court. Police said that New Jersey officials were preparing legal papers in seeking to extradite Howarth to New Jersey.

At his arraignment, Howarth pleaded not guilty to all six charges. A judge reduced his bail to $50,000. On August 19, Howarth was being held at the Bridgeport Correctional Center for a September 16 court appearance.