Wasserman Way

Motorist Lawrence E. Slaney, III, of 5 Forest Drive was driving a 1970 Ford Torino westward on Wasserman Way, about 100 feet east of its intersection with Mile Hill Road South, about 12:29 am February 4, when he rounded a curve to the left and accelerated, causing the auto to lose traction, police said.

The Ford went into a spin, went off the eastbound road shoulder, and then struck a utility pole, police report. After the accident, Slaney walked away from the scene and hitchhiked to Monroe, where police later found him.

Slaney had received cuts and scrapes in the crash, but refused medical attention, police said. Police charged Slaney with evading responsibility and making an improper turn. Slaney is scheduled to appear in court to answer the charges, police said.

Risk of Injury

After learning that police held a warrant for his arrest, William Ortega, 60, of Naugatuck turned himself over to them on February 4 and was charged with three counts of risk of injury to a minor.

The arrest stems from a police investigation that began last October. Police said Ortega allegedly made physical contact with two children who are under age 16 in a private setting. The charges stem from three separate incidents, police said.

The police department’s youth unit and the state Department of Children and Families investigated the complaint.

After processing the arrest, police released Ortega on $1,000 bail for a February 22 arraignment in Danbury Superior Court.

Lawn Damage

Sometime between 9:15 pm on February 3 and 10:45 am on February 4, someone drove onto a lawn at Carminuccio’s, a pizzeria at 76 South Main Street, damaging the lawn and a fence near a patio, police report.

The driver then left the scene without reporting the damage. Police are investigating and ask those with knowledge of the incident to contact them at 426-5841.

Moving Violations

Police report that they stopped motorist Mark Manley, 34, of 265 South Main Street for driving 54 miles per hour in a 35-mph zone on Toddy Hill Road about 9:20 pm February 4.

After investigating, police charged Manley with traveling unreasonably and with driving with a suspended license.

After processing Manley’s arrest, police released him on a promise to appear in court on February 23.

Volkswagen Rollover

Motorist Scott Arconti, 19, of Danbury, who was driving a 1998 Volkswagen Jetta westward on Orchard Hill Road, near Pebble Road, about 9:15 pm February 6, began to slide on the street, lost control, crossed into the eastbound lane and then struck a stone wall, causing the auto to flip over and land on the lawn at 29 Orchard Hill Road, police report.

Botsford firefighters went to the scene to contain some leaking gasoline.

Arconti received minor head cuts, but refused medical attention, police said. Police issued Arconti an infraction ticket for failure to drive to the right.

Hanover Road

Police report that motorist Patrick McDougall, 43, of Roxbury was driving a 2004 Chevrolet 3500 pickup truck southward near 99 Hanover Road on the morning of February 3, as town public works department driver John Mead, 62, of 112 South Main Street was driving a town-owned 2000 Ford dump truck northward there. The town dump truck had a snowplow affixed to its front end.

Police said McDougall told them that the town truck’s position on the roadway forced him to make an evasive maneuver, which caused the right side of his pickup truck to collide with guardrailing along the right road shoulder.

The pickup truck and the town dump truck did not make contact with each other, police said.

There were no injuries. Police said they took no enforcement action.

Botsford Collision

Police report an accident between a tractor-trailer truck and a 1997 Chrysler Cirrus at the intersection of South Main Street, Botsford Hill Road, and Meadow Brook Road about 9:10 am February 4.

Police said trucker Michael Jennack, 52, of Westbrook told them that he was driving southward on South Main Street on a green traffic signal, when motorist Judith McCready, 61, of 112 Toddy Hill Road, who was driving the Chrysler, entered the intersection from Botsford Hill Road on a red traffic signal and crossed in front of the truck, resulting in a collision.

The Chrysler then spun around and struck a utility pole.

McCready received unknown injuries and was transported to Danbury Hospital, police said. The accident is under investigation, police said.

Horseshoe Ridge Road

Motorist Thomas Rodbell, 17, of 24 Sleepy Hollow Road was driving a 1999 Audi A4-A westward near 5 Horseshoe Ridge Road, as motorist Sonja Taylor, 17, of 26 Old Farm Hill Road was driving a 2003 Dodge Stratus eastward there about 8 am February 3, according to police.

As the drivers approached a curve in the road from opposite directions, they each were partially occupying the other driver’s travel lane, resulting in a collision, police said.

There were no injuries. Both vehicles were heavily damaged.

Police gave Rodbell a written warning for failure to drive to the right on a curve. Police issued Taylor a written warning for driving too fast for conditions.

Main Street Accident

At about 4 am February 4, motorist S. Williams, 19, of Danbury, who was driving a 1998 Toyota Corolla northward on Main Street, began to make at left turn at Edmond Town Hall and was then sideswiped on the left by a blue Ford Explorer, which kept traveling, police said. Williams was not injured. Police ask anyone with knowledge of the accident to contact them at 426-5841.

DUI Arrest

Police said they observed motorist Joseph Edelman, Jr, 22, of Bethel crossing Boggs Hill Road’s centerline about 2:35 am February 5, so they stopped Edelman to investigate. Police said they charged Edelman with driving under the influence and with failure to drive to the right. After processing the arrest, police released Edelman on a promise to appear in court on February 16.

I-84 DUI

State police report that motorist Travis Cassidy, 23, of Danbury, who was driving a 1990 Dodge pickup truck on the Exit 10 on-ramp of westbound Interstate 84 at about 9:45 pm February 4, lost control of the truck and crashed into some guardrailing. Cassidy was not injured.

After investigating, state police charged Cassidy with driving under the influence and with failure to drive in the established lane. State police released Cassidy on $500 bail for a February 14 court appearance.

Nail Gun

Police learned about 10 am February 2 that someone had stolen an automatic nail gun, which was inside an orange case on the back of a pickup truck, that was parked at the Citgo gas station at 151 South Main Street. Police ask anyone with information on the theft to contact them at 426-5841.

Construction Gear

On February 2, police learned that someone had stolen equipment that is used to install vinyl siding from a house construction site on New Lebbon Road. The construction is underway at Lot 81 there. The stolen equipment includes scaffolding and a table used to fabricate the siding. Police ask anyone with information on the theft to contact them at 426-5841.

Cochran House

After learning that police held a rearrest warrant on him, Daniel Bernstein, 19, of Hamden turned himself over to police on February 9 and was charged with second degree failure to appear in court and with third degree criminal trespassing.

Police said Bernstein had been scheduled to appear in Danbury Superior Court on January 14, but did not appear, resulting in a rearrest warrant being issued. 

The original criminal trespassing charge stems from an incident last September 28, in which Bernstein and two others attempted to illegally enter Cochran House at Fairfield Hills, police said.

 After processing his arrest, police released Bernstein on $500 bail for a February 22 court appearance.