Police Reports | February 10-19, 2014
Slippery Highway
At about 1:16 am on February 10, motorist Karen Vanderlyn, 45, of Watertown was driving a 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan minivan eastward on Interstate 84, about one-half mile west of Exit 9, when the vehicle slid on the highway, which was slippery due to a previous snowstorm, state police said.
Vanderlyn lost control of the vehicle, which went into a spin and then struck some guardrailing along the right road shoulder, state police said. There were no injuries.
Vanderlyn was verbally warned for traveling too fast for conditions, state police said.
Poverty Hollow Crash
Motorist Wellington Mzulwini, 38, of Chicago was driving a 2003 Mazda 6 sedan southward on Poverty Hollow Road, near Equestrian Ridge Road, about 8:30 am on February 10, when Mzulwini lost control of the auto on the snow-covered road and then struck a tree on the right side of the street, police said.
There were no injuries. Police said verbally warned Mzulwini for traveling too fast conditions and for making a restricted turn.
Mirror-To-Mirror
At about 1:07 pm on February 10, Patrick Farrell, 33, of 5 Tower Road was driving a 2005 International garbage truck southward near 54 Toddy Hill Road, as Robert Macey, 43, of 40 Swamp Road was driving a 2005 International bucket truck northward there, police said.
As they approached one another from opposite directions, the two trucks’ exterior left rear-view mirrors made contact, police said. There were no injuries.
Car vs Bus
Police report an accident involving a sedan and a school bus with no passengers onboard at about 7:10 pm on February 11 near 3 Glover Avenue.
Police said motorist Lynda Lindblom, 58, of 10 Sunnyview Terrace, who was driving a 1999 Saturn sedan, passed a stopped All-Star Transportation bus on the left, hitting the bus’s left rear bumper with the Saturn’s right exterior rear-view mirror. James Tomassetti, 59, of 301 South Main Street, was driving the 2013 Bluebird bus, police said.
There were no injuries. Police said they verbally warned Lindblom for improper passing and also issued Lindblom an infraction for driving an unregistered vehicle.
Church Hill Crash
At about 10:08 pm on February 11, motorist Ryan Daignault, 19, of 44 Scudder Road, who was driving a 1998 Honda Accord sedan, was pulling out of the parking lot from Blue Colony Diner at 66 Church Hill Road, as motorist Paul Bracero, 47, of Stony Brook, N.Y., was driving a 1997 Toyota Corolla sedan eastward on Church Hill Road, police report.
The two vehicles collided. There were no injuries.
Police said they issued Daignault an infraction for failure to grant the right of way.
Sandy Hook Collision
A two-vehicle collision occurred about 4:23 pm February 12 at the intersection of Berkshire Road and Gray’s Plain Road, according to police.
In the incident, a 2013 Ford Focus sedan driven by Brandon O’Sullivan, 17, of 2 Strawberry Lane collided with a 2000 Nissan Altima sedan driven by Abigail Wise, 18, of Oxford, police said.
There were no injuries. O’Sullivan received a written warning for failure to grant the right of way, police report.
I-84 DUI
State police report that motorist Kristine Alexander, 51, of 58 Barnabas Road was driving a vehicle eastward on Interstate 84 in the left lane near Exit 9 at about 10:30 pm on February 12, when she lost control of the auto, swerved and then struck the median guardrail.
Alexander was not injured. After investigating, state police charged her driving under the influence and with failure to drive in the proper lane. Alexander was released on $500 bail for a February 24 court appearance.
Botsford DUI
Police said they received a complaint about a motorist driving erratically, so they stopped the driver in question near Sand Hill Plaza at 228 South Main Street at about 6 pm on February 14.
Police said they investigated and then charged motorist Bret Richter, 50, of 8 John Beach Road with driving under the influence. Following processing, Richter was released on $500 bail for a February 27 court appearance, according to police.
Kia vs Mazda
Police said that motorist Courtney Gleason, 23, of 4 Russett Road was driving a 2014 Mazda CX-5 SUV southward on Jeremiah Road, near its intersection with Pole Bridge Road, about 7:13 pm on February 14, and then stopped for traffic conditions, after which the Mazda was struck from behind by southbound motorist Erin Fish, 22, of 4 Fawnwood Road, who was driving a 2013 Kia Optima sedan.
There were no injuries. Fish received a written warning for failure to drive a reasonable distance apart, police report.
Riverside Road DUI
Police report that they stopped motorist Justin Gaynor, 26, of 41 Riverside Road about 2:22 am on February 15 on Riverside Road to investigate because he was driving a vehicle that did not have its headlamps illuminated.
Police said they charged Gaynor with driving under the influence and with failure to illuminate headlamps. After processing, police released Gaynor on $350 bail for a February 25 court appearance.
Bennetts Bridge Road
A two-vehicle accident occurred at a single-lane bridge on Bennetts Bridge Road about 10:14 am on February 15, police said.
Police report that motorist Anthony Albano, 47, of 12 Orange Pippin Road was driving a 2014 Chevrolet Equinox SUV southward on Bennetts Bridge Road, as motorist Ivy Anna Lee, 17, of 35 Russett Road was driving a 2007 Lexus RX-350 SUV northward on Bennetts Bridge Road.
When the Chevrolet was on the single-lane bridge, the approaching Lexus attempted to stop, but the Lexus slid on the wet, dirt-covered roadway and then collided with the Chevrolet, police said.
There were no injuries. Police said Lee received an infraction for traveling too fast for conditions.
Intersection Incident
Patrick Cooney, 46, of 6 Grace Moore Road, who was driving a 2012 Honda Pilot SUV, stopped at a red traffic signal on Wasserman Way at its intersection with Berkshire Road at about 11:15 am on February 15, police said.
After the signal turned green, motorist Bruce Smith, 57, of Rhinebeck, N.Y., who was driving a 2012 Nissan Sentra sedan behind the Honda, moved forward and struck the rear end of the Honda, police said.
There were no injuries. Police said that Smith failed to drive a reasonable distance apart.
Chain Reaction Accident
Police report a three-vehicle chain-reaction accident near 308 South Main Street in Botsford about 4:16 pm on February 15 during a snowstorm.
All three vehicles were traveling southward on South Main Street. There were no injuries.
In the incident, police issued motorist Brianna Engelke, 19, of Hingham, Mass., who was driving a 2004 Volvo XC-90 SUV, a written warning for traveling too fast for conditions.
The other motorists involved in the accident were Justin McGrath, 24, of 81 South Main Street, who was driving a 2009 Ford Ranger pickup truck, and Brooke Spadaccino, 39, of Shelton, who was driving a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder SUV, according to police.
Interstate Crash
At about 6:09 pm on February 16 on eastbound Interstate 84 about 1,000 feet west of Exit 11, motorist Brian McDonald, 27, of Seymour, who was driving a 2006 Mercury Marquis sedan, struck the rear end of 2012 Chevrolet Cruze driven by Donald Kroha, no age given, of Hope Valley, R.I., state police said.
Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps transported Chevrolet passenger Katelyn Phillips, 25, of Kingstown, R.I., to Danbury Hospital for treatment of pain, state police said. Enforcement information was not available.
Warrant Arrest
Police report they arrested Zachary Kapple, 24, of 5 Acorn Drive on February 17 on a warrant, charging him with second-degree failure to appear in court in connection with pending charges of driving under the influence, possession of less than one-half ounce of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, evading responsibility, and failure to drive to the right. The charged stemmed from a January 19 one-vehicle accident on The Boulevard.
After posting $1,000 bail, police released Kapple for a March 4 court appearance.
South Main DUI
In the area near South Main Street’s intersections with Elm Drive at about 1 am on February 17, police said they saw motorist David Freeston, 27, of 8 King Street veer into the southbound lane while traveling northward, so they stopped him to investigate.
Police report they charged Freeston with driving under the influence and with failure to keep to the right on a curve. After processing, police released Freeston on $100 bail for a February 25 court appearance.
Rear-Ender
Police report that at about 12:25 pm on February 17, motorist Travis Audet, 17, of 23 Hoseye Coach Road, who was driving a 2001 Nissan Sentra sedan northward on South Main Street, stopped while preparing to make a left turn onto Bryan Lane.
Northbound motorist Corrie Fisher, 32, of 6 Old Green Road, who was driving a commercial 2013 Mercedes-Benz cargo van, then struck the rear end of the Nissan, police said.
Ambulance volunteers transported Audet to the hospital for treatment of injuries, police said. Fisher received an infraction for following too closely and for distracted driving, according to police.
Berkshire Road Collision
At about 2:26 pm on February 17, motorist Nichole Beatty, 24, of 57 Laurel Trail was driving a 2008 Toyota RAV-4 SUV westward on Berkshire Road and was approaching its intersection with Toddy Hill Road, when Beatty stopped for traffic conditions, after which the Toyota was struck from behind by a westbound 2004 Ford Freestar minivan driven by Angelo Giordano, 59, of Orange, police said.
There were no injuries. Giordano received a written warning for following too closely, according to police.
Main Street Accident
Police report a two-vehicle accident on southbound Main Street at its signalized intersection with Glover Avenue, South Main Street, and Sugar Street at about 3 pm on February 17.
Police said southbound motorist Margaret Townsend, 69, of Bethel, who was driving a 2012 Honda CRV SUV, was waiting on Main Street when the Honda was struck from behind by motorist Meredith Roland, 42, of 50 Hanover Road, who was driving a commercial 1998 Chevrolet K-2500 pickup truck.
There were no injuries. Police said they verbally warned Roland for following to closely.
Pond Brook Road Accident
Police report a two-vehicle accident on Pond Brook Road, a dirt road whose width was decreased due to the presence of snow banks, at about 4 pm on February 17. The collision occurred near 32 Pond Brook Road.
Police said motorist Thomas Ramsdell III, 64, of 16 Pond Brook Road was driving a commercial 2007 Ford Explorer SUV eastward, as motorist Glen White, 46, of Trumbull was driving a 2003 Ford Windstar minivan westward.
As the two vehicles approached one another from opposite directions, neither driver attempted to yield to the other, police said.
The Windstar then attempted to avoid the Explorer by turning to the right, but the Windstar became stuck in the snow, after which the Explorer struck the Windstar, police said.
There were no injuries. Police said they took no enforcement.
Failure To Respond
Police report that they arrested Ricardo Rojas, 19, of 49 Riverside Road on a warrant on February 18, charging him with failure to respond to an infraction, stemming from a past charge of possession of less than one-half ounce of marijuana.
After processing, police released Rojas on $150 bail for a March 4 court appearance.
Drugs/Alcohol Charges
Police report that they conducted a traffic stop of a motorist at about 10:20 pm on February 18 near 7 Main Street to investigate possible violations.
Police said they charged motorist Nathan Kalra, 18, of 5 Owl Ridge Lane with possession of marijuana with intent to sell, possession of drug paraphernalia in connection with possession of less than one-half ounce of marijuana, illegal possession of alcohol by a minor, driving a motor vehicle with an illegible marker plate, and failure to have functioning automotive brake lamps.
After processing, police released Kalra on $500 bail for a March 4 court appearance.
Bar Fight
Police said that at about 12:01 am on February 19, they were called to respond to a fight at The One-Eyed Pig, a bar/restaurant at 71 South Main Street.
Police said that after investigating, they charged Matthew Finkle, 35, of Naugatuck with breach of peace. Police said they held Finkle on $200 bail for an arraignment later that day at Danbury Superior Court.