Four Charges Follow Music Festival Incident

Police report that after learning that they held a warrant for his arrest in connection with an incident that occurred last fall, Raymond Gmuer, 25, of 77 Alberts Hill Road went to the police station at about 11 am on February 23 to be charged.

Police said they had received a report that on the night of October 11, 2015, a male event coordinator for the Shuck 'N' Jive Mountain Bike Race & Music Festival, which was held at McLaughlin Vineyards at 14 Alberts Hill Road, was injured due to Gmuer's actions. The event was staged from October 9-11, 2015, at the vineyard.

Police said that Gmuer was driving his motor vehicle erratically at the vineyard property, so the event coordinator attempted to remove the ignition keys from Gmuer's vehicle. As the man attempted to remove those keys, he fell away from the moving vehicle, receiving a minor injury, police said. Gmuer then drove away, police said.

Police investigated the incident and then sought an arrest warrant from Danbury Superior Court. Through the warrant, police arrested Gmuer on charges of reckless driving, evading responsibility, second-degree reckless endangerment, and third-degree assault.

Following arrest processing on February 23, police released Gmuer on $5,000 surety bail for an arraignment on March 8 in Danbury Superior Court.

Three Warrants Pending

Police report that at about 9:10 pm on February 24, they stopped motorist Larry Pignatello, 30, of 27 Buttonball Drive to investigate near the intersection of Church Hill Road and the Exit 10 interchange of Interstate 84.

Through investigating, police learned that there were three outstanding warrants pending against Pignatello, so they charged him with three separate counts of second-degree failure to appear in court.

The charges stem from motor vehicle incidents in Ridgefield in 2015.

Following arrest processing, police released Pignatello on $10,500 bail for a March 15 court arraignment.

Energy Drinks Stolen

Police report that about 4:56 pm on February 23, a woman entered the Stop & Shop supermarket at Sand Hill Plaza at 228 South Main Street, after which she stole multiple items from the store, including Red Bull-brand energy drinks and Monster-brand energy drinks.

The woman was then spotted entering a silver-colored Hyundai sedan with Maryland marker plates, police said.

Police ask anyone with knowledge about the shoplifting incident to contact investigating Officer Fernando Pereira at the police station at 203-426-5841 regarding Case #2016-4267.

Dog Charges

Police said they went to the residence of Janice Markey, 45, of 59 Riverside Road about 5:19 pm on February 24 and issued her an arrest warrant charging her with failure to respond to an infraction.

Police said the arrest stems from an November 2013 incident in which Markey received an infraction for failure to license a dog and for failure to have a dog vaccinated against rabies.

Markey did not respond to the violations, so police received and served the warrant. Police released Markey on $211 bail for a March 15 court appearance.

Slippery Conditions

A one-vehicle accident occurred on Flat Swamp Road, just south of its intersection with Jangling Plains Road, in snowy conditions about 4:18 pm on February 23, according to police.

Motorist Sulman Chaudhry, 31, of Easton, Penn., was driving a 2014 Chevrolet Suburban SUV northward on Flat Swamp Road and was negotiating a left curve in the road, when the vehicle skidded off the right side of the road and then struck a tree, police report.

There were no injuries. Police said they issues Chaudhry a written warning for traveling too fast for conditions.

Motor Vehicle Stop

Police said that while using their license plate reader device, they stopped motorist Frank Stewart, 37, of Danbury near Narragansett Trail at about 2:30 pm on February 25 to investigate.

Police said they charged Stewart with driving an unregistered vehicle, improper use of marker plates, and failure to have automotive insurance.

After processing, police released Stewart on $500 bail for a March 10 court appearance.

Warrant

After learning that police held a warrant for his arrest, Bryson Herr, 21, of New Milford turned himself over to police at the police station about 12:06 pm on February 23 and was charged with failure to respond to an infraction, police said.

The original charge stems from an incident that occurred on May 29, 2015, police said. Because Herr neither paid a fine, nor challenged the infraction in court, police received a warrant for his arrest and charged him, requiring that he now appear in court.

Police released Herr on $403 bail for a March 8 appearance in Danbury Superior Court.

Shoplifting At TJ Maxx

Police said that at about 1:20 pm on February 26, they received a report about a shoplifting incident having occurred at TJ Maxx, a department store at Sand Hill Plaza at 228 South Main Street, so police went there to investigate.

Police said they learned that two women allegedly involved in the theft fled the scene in a white Volvo auto with Florida marker plates. Police said they found that auto several miles away on Wasserman Way, near Exit 11 of Interstate 84, so they stopped it to investigate. Police said they found several stolen coats inside the Volvo.

Police said they arrested Tainichole Kline 35, of Bloomfield on a charge of fifth-degree larceny. Also, police arrested Tamisha Brown, 32, of Hartford on a charge of conspiracy to commit fifth-degree larceny. Both women were scheduled to appear in court to answer the charges, according to police.

Big Y Shoplifting Incident

At about 5 pm on February 27, police received a report about a shoplifting incident having occurred at the Big Y supermarket at Newtown Shopping Village at 6 Queen Street, so they went there to investigate.

Police report that after a foot pursuit through a commercial parking lot, they apprehended Peter Lipusz, 40, of Woodbridge, after which they investigated and charged Lipusz with sixth-degree larceny.

Police said that Lipusz stole about $157 worth of Big Y merchandise, including ten boxes of Red Bull-brand energy drink.

After processing, police released Lipusz on $1,500 bail for a March 10 court appearance.

Drug Crime

Police report that at about 9:07 am on February 26, they received a report concerning a possible forged drug prescription being passed at Newtown Pharmacy & Surgical at 20 Church Hill Road, so they went there to investigate.

After that investigation, police charged Joshua Anderson, 30, of Ansonia with illegal use of a forged prescription and with second-degree forgery.

Following arrest processing, police released Anderson on $1,000 bail for a March 9 court appearance.

Intersection Crash

Police report a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of Wasserman Way and Trades Lane about 5:49 pm on February 22.

The accident involved motorist William Huegi, 16, of 2 Liberty Drive, who was driving a 2003 Ford Explorer SUV, and motorist Warren Seavey, 60, of Southbury, who was driving a 1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue sedan, police said.

Police report that Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps responded to accident to check Seavey for possible injuries. Police said they issued Huegi a written warning for failure to grant the right of way.

Two Charges

Police said that at about 9:42 am on February 27, they stopped motorist Joseph Elwell, 28, of Torrington near 98 Berkshire Road to investigate. Police said they charged Elwell with improper use of marker plates and with failure to have automotive insurance. Elwell was released on $500 bail for a March 8 court appearance.

I-84 Crash

State police report a two-vehicle collision on eastbound Interstate 84, east of the Exit 11 on-ramp, about 12:35 pm on February 27.

The accident involved motorist Lynn Kreusser, 57, of Bethel, who was driving a 2015 BMW X-3 SUV, and motorist Justin Knoll, 24, of Northampton, Mass., who was driving a 2003 Toyota Camry sedan, state police said.

After the collision had occurred, the Toyota drove away from the accident scene without stopping, state police said. There were no injuries.

State police said they located the Toyota east of the accident scene and investigated, after which they charged Knoll with evading responsibility, failure to have automotive insurance, and failure to drive in the proper lane.

State police released Knoll on $1,000 nonsurety bail for a March 21 court appearance.

Nissan vs Jaguar

At about 5:20 pm on February 24, motorist Joann Ahern, 64, of Orange, who was driving a 2015 Jaguar XF sedan eastward on Interstate 84, west of the Exit 9 off-ramp, slowed to a stop for heavy traffic conditions, after which the Jaguar was struck from behind by motorist Jesse Caviasca, 30, Naugatuck, who was driving a 2009 Nisan Murano SUV, according to state police.

Ahern reported an injury, but declined medical attention, state police said. Caviasca received an infraction for failure to drive a reasonable distance apart, state police said.

Alcohol & Weapon Charges

Police said they found an idling motor vehicle parked on the side of Kenan Road, near Currituck Road, about 1:20 am on March 1, so they investigated.

Police said they charged Joseph Santoro, 19, of Danbury with illegal possession of alcohol by a minor and with possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle. Police said Santoro was in possession of a police-style baton.

Police released Santoro on $500 bail for a March 15 court appearance.

Hawleyville Crash

Police report a two-vehicle accident at the intersection of Hawleyville Road, Currituck Road, and Obtuse Road about 11 pm on February 25.

The collision involved motorist Aaron Plude, 25, of Bethel, who was driving a 2006 Volkswagen Jetta sedan, and motorist Robert Purat, 18, of 12 Pine Tree Hill Road, who was driving a 1999 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck, police said.

Police said the Volkswagen had stopped at a stop sign, but then proceeded before it was safe to do so, resulting in the collision. There were no injuries. Plude received an infraction for failure to obey a stop sign, according to police.

Two Charged Following Auto Stop

Police report that at about   9 pm on March 1, they stopped a motorist near 7 Sugar Street because the vehicle that he was driving had a marker plate that did not correspond with the vehicle being driven.

After investigating, police charged motorist Timothy Carriero, 32, of Ridgefield with driving an unregistered vehicle, improper use of marker plates, and failure to have automotive insurance.

Also, an electronic records check indicated that Carriero had three outstanding warrants against him, each of which carried a charge of second-degree failure to appear in court, police said.

Carriero was scheduled to appear in court on March 2, police said.

Also, a passenger in the vehicle, Daniel Esslinger, 30, of Wilton, was found to have two outstanding warrants against him, each of which carried a charge of second-degree failure to appear in court, police said.

Esslinger is scheduled for two upcoming court appearances on those charges, police said.

DUI Arrest

Police said they investigated a report of erratic driving, which they received from a person in the area near the intersection of Berkshire Road and Bennetts Bridge Road at about 9:24 pm on March 1.

Police said they charged motorist James Russell, 48, of Milford with driving under the influence and with traveling unreasonably fast.

After processing, police released Russell for a March 16 court appearance to answer the charges.

Warrant Served

Police report that on the morning of March 1, they served a warrant at Danbury Superior Court against Arthur Wright, 57, of Waterbury on a charge of sixth-degree larceny. Police said Wright was arraigned that day on the charge.

The arrest stems from a May 11, 2014, incident at Cork N Barrel, the package store within Plaza South at 266 South Main Street, during which Wright allegedly stole some liquor, according to police.

Auto Theft

On February 26, sometime between 7 am and midday, someone stole a green 2006 Nissan Altima auto from a residential driveway on Thunder Ridge Road, a dead-end side street extending from Berkshire Road near Great Ring Road in Sandy Hook, police said.

When it was stolen, the vehicle was unlocked and had its keys inside it, police said. The vehicle's Connecticut marker plate is 651-WNS. Police ask anyone with information on the theft to contact them at 203-426-5841.

Police urge residents to secure their vehicles when they are unattended to deter theft.