Both Drivers Injured In Collision

Newtown Police report Diego Porto, 42, of Mt Vernon, N.Y., operating a 2006 Toyota Rav4, was attempting to turn onto Bennett’s Bridge Road from a driveway at 7:51 pm December 11. Alicia Ligouri, 17, of Sandy Hook, operating a 2006 Nissan Titan, was traveling northbound on Bennett’s Bridge Road. Porto’s vehicle struck Ligouri’s vehicle.

Porto and Ligouri were both transported to Danbury Hospital with possible injuries. Both vehicles were towed.

Porto was issued an infraction for failure to obey a stop sign.

Following Too Close

Newtown Police report Michael Quesenberry, 17, of Sandy Hook, operating a 2012 Ford Mustang, was traveling westbound on Berkshire Road at 3:15 pm December 16. He was traveling behind a 2018 Ford F150 operated by Jake Steel, 28, of Southbury, who in turn was traveling behind a school bus. The school bus came to a stop and Steel came to a stop behind. Quesenberry did not stop in time, and rear-ended Steel’s vehicle.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

Quesenberry was issued an infraction for following too close.

Rolled Vehicle

Newtown Police report Cooper Mason, 21, of Stratford, operating a 2008 Honda Accord, was traveling westbound on Berkshire Road at 2:04 pm December 17. He was traveling behind a 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz operated by Ethan Rawding, 19, of Brookfield. Mason braked to avoid rear-ending Rawding’s vehicle, swerved into the embankment along the westbound shoulder, rolled over and while rolling over, struck the passenger side of Mason’s vehicle. It came to rest on its roof.

No injuries were reported. Mason’s vehicle was towed.

Mason was issued infractions for following too close and failure to drive in the proper lane.

Struck Deer On Mt Pleasant

Newtown Police report Cheryl Panzica, 65, of Southbury, operating a 2017 Honda CR-V, was traveling northbound on Mt Pleasant Road at 7:20 am December 19. A deer entered the roadway from the southbound shoulder, and struck the driver’s side door of Panzica’s vehicle.

Panzica was transported to Danbury Hospital for a possible minor injury. The vehicle was towed.

No enforcement action was taken.

One Injured In Head-On

Newtown Police report Daniel Gallagher, 43, of Newtown, operating a 2019 Honda CR-V, was traveling south on Hawleyville Road at 8:06 am December 19. Jonathan Zamora, 32, of Danbury, operating a 2018 Honda Accord, was traveling north on Hawleyville Road. Gallagher turned left, striking the front of Zamora’s vehicle head on.

Zamora was transported to Danbury Hospital with a possible minor injury. Both vehicles were towed.

Gallagher was issued an infraction for failure to yield while turning left.

Hit Deer On Dodgingtown

Newtown Police report Herbert Klussman, 62, of Bethel, was traveling eastbound on Dodgingtown Road at 6:23 am December 20. A deer ran into the road and was struck by Klussman’s vehicle.

Klussman was not injured. The vehicle was not towed.

No enforcement action was taken.

DUI Charge

Newtown Police report that officers were dispatched to Huntingtown Road at 6:14 pm December 20 on the report of the erratic operation of a vehicle. Officers located the vehicle on Maltbie Road, and after a brief investigation, Erica Montini, 49, of Newtown, was arrested and charged with operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Montini was released on a $500 bond with a court date of January 7 in Danbury Superior Court.

Mercedes Hits Toyota

Newtown Police report Lorhan Alves, 34, of Watertown, operating a 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300, was traveling westbound on Mt Pleasant Road at 2:53 pm December 21. He was traveling behind a 2019 Toyota Tundra operated by Diane Fritch, 58, of Bethel. Fritch slowed for traffic and Alves’ vehicle rear-ended Fritch’s vehicle.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

Alves was issued an infraction for following too close.

Rear-Ended On South Main

Newtown Police report Edwin Zhunio, 43, of Danbury, operating a 2018 Ram 1500, was traveling northbound on South Main Street at 2:08 am December 22. He was traveling behind a 2021 Toyota Rav4 operated by Valeria Quuirola, 25, of Danbury. The front of Zhunio’s vehicle struck the rear of Quuirola’s vehicle.

No injuries were reported. Both vehicles were towed.

Zhunio was issued an infraction for following too close and operating a motor vehicle without a license.

Struck Utility Pole

Newtown Police report Kathleen Gius, 60, of Shelton, operating a 2011 Toyota Prius, was traveling eastbound on Swamp Road at 6:05 am December 23. While negotiating a curve in the roadway, Gius’ vehicle went off the roadway right and struck a guide line for a utility pole.

No injuries were reported. The vehicle was towed.

Gius was issued a verbal warning for making a restricted turn.

Two Injured During Collision

Newtown Police report Deborah Alston, 67, of Bethel, operating a 2012 Honda Fit, was traveling eastbound on Church Hill Road at 3:14 pm December 23. Carmen Castro, 25, of Waterbury, operating a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder, was traveling westbound on Church Hill Road. Alston crossed the centerline in front of Castro’s vehicle and the two vehicles collided.

Alston and Castro were both transported to Danbury Hospital with possible minor injuries. Alston’s vehicle was towed.

No enforcement action was mentioned in the report.

Left Turn Leads To Accident

Newtown Police report Rosemary Bernard, 44, of Danbury, operating a 2014 Hyundai Elantra, was traveling on the Interstate 84 West exit 9 exit ramp at 3:54 pm December 23. Jose Castro-Espinal, 51, of Danbury, operating a 2006 Toyota Tacoma, was traveling northbound on Hawleyville Road. Bernard stopped at the stop sign and then began to turn left, and Castro-Espinal’s vehicle struck Bernard’s vehicle.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

Bernard was issued a written warning for failure to grant right of way at a stop sign.

Hit Deer On Wasserman Way

Newtown Police report Charles Hunt, 74, of Sandy Hook, operating a 2024 BMW X4, was traveling westbound on Wasserman Way at 5:19 pm December 23. A deer ran into the road and was struck by Hunt’s vehicle.

Neither Hunt nor a passenger were injured. The vehicle was not towed.

No enforcement action was taken.

Struck Guardrail

Newtown Police report Jorge Asencio-Rodriguez, 30, of Yonkers, N.Y., operating a 2011 Toyota Camry, was traveling east on Mt Pleasant Road at 9:05 am December 24. While negotiating a slight curve left in the roadway while traveling downhill, Asencio-Rodriguez lost control of the vehicle on the slippery roadway, crossed over the westbound lane of travel and made contact with a guardrail, and then traveled backwards over another section of guardrail before coming to rest in a lawn.

No injuries were reported. The vehicle was towed.

Asencio-Rodriguez was issued a verbal warning for traveling too fast for conditions.

Stolen Vehicle Found

Newtown Police report that at 6:40 pm December 26, officers observed a silver Nissan Sentra traveling on South Main Street that had been reported stolen from Wilkes Barre, Penn., earlier in the day. A motor vehicle stop was initiated and the operator, Oscar Rosado, 41, of Bridgeport, was taken into custody. Rosado was arrested and charged with operating a motor vehicle without a license and larceny of a motor vehicle — first offense.

Rosado was held on a $5,000 bond with a court date of December 27 at Danbury Judicial District Court.

Teen Attempts To Evade Police

Newtown Police report Thomas Morgan, 18, of Newtown, was arrested at 9:53 pm December 27 and charged with traveling unreasonably fast, disobeying the signal of an officer, engaging police in pursuit, improper turn signaling, and failure to have headlamps. He was released on a $1,000 bond with a court date of January 14 in Danbury Superior Court.