Car Cartwheeled

Newtown Police report Jeremiah Mathis, 27, of Derby, operating a 2020 Hyundai Kona, was traveling eastbound on Berkshire Road at 2:54 am February 23. Mathis’ vehicle went off the eastbound shoulder and collided with the end of a metal guardrail, went back into the travel portion of the roadway and went off the westbound shoulder, colliding with the end of another metal guardrail. This second collision caused the vehicle to go airborne, landing front end first and performing a “cartwheel,” coming to rest on the driver’s side of the vehicle down a ravine.

Mathis was transported to Danbury Hospital with possible injuries. The vehicle was towed.

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

Conflicting Stories

Newtown Police report Zaragoza Chable, 34, of Danbury, operating a 2018 Toyota Highlander, was traveling northbound on South Main Street at 11:47 pm March 8. Justin Weekes, 53, of Wallingford, operating a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee, was traveling southbound on South Main Street. Weekes was attempting to turn left onto Mile Hill Road and was sitting at a green light waiting for traffic to clear. Weekes told police the light changed to a green turn arrow, and Weekes attempted his turn, but was struck by Chable’s vehicle. Chable told police she had the green light and was following the vehicle ahead.

No injuries were reported. Both vehicles were towed.

Due to conflicting reports, police were unable to determine which operator was at fault.

Arrested On Warrant

Newtown Police report that officers conducted a traffic stop on an unregistered 2013 Toyota Scion at approximately 6:17 pm March 10. The operator of the vehicle, Yarlianne Salgado, 27, of Bridgeport, was determined to have an outstanding arrest warrant. Salgado was arrested and charged with second-degree failure to appear. Salgado was released after posting a $10,000 bond and given a court date of March 25 in Stamford Superior Court.

Hit And Run Driver

Newtown Police report that while traveling westbound into the parking lot of Big Y, Danielle Delcampo, 46, of Newtown, operating a 2019 Kia Sorrento, stopped behind a stopped non-contact vehicle. An unknown vehicle, described as a black or dark colored sedan with a rainbow colored ornament hanging from the rearview mirror, traveling westbound in the lot, behind Delcampo’s vehicle, made contact with the rear of Delcampo’s vehicle before pulling around her and driving off.

The operator is described as a white female with dark hair, possibly late teens or early 20s.

No injuries were reported.

Collision In Intersection

Newtown Police report Dawn Woodtke, 55, of Brookfield, operating a 2023 Cadillac Xt4 Sport, stopped at a stop sign on Flat Swamp Road at the intersection with Dodgingtown Road at 5:19 pm March 11. Charles Howell, 41, of Beacon Falls, operating a 2022 Toyota Camry, was traveling eastbound on Dodgingtown Road. Woodtke began to turn left onto Dodgingtown Road and struck the rear of Howell’s vehicle.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

Woodtke was issued a written warning for failure to grant right of way at an intersection.

Struck Deer

Newtown Police report Erik Vonhaas, 33, of Summit, N.J., operating a 2009 Toyota Camry, was traveling southbound on Currituck Road at 7:49 pm March 11. A deer entered the roadway right and Vonhaas’ vehicle struck the deer.

Vonhaas was not injured. The vehicle was not towed.

No enforcement action was taken.

U-Turn Leads To Incident

Newtown Police report James Coppola, 29, of New Fairfield, operating a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado, was traveling eastbound on Mt Pleasant Road in the right lane at 7:43 am March 12. Robert Brooks, 27, of Brookfield, operating a 2016 Honda, was traveling eastbound on Mt Pleasant Road in the left lane. Coppola attempted to turn into the left lane from the right lane and the driver’s side of his vehicle struck the front bumper of Brooks’ vehicle. Coppola told police he was attempting to make a U-Turn since he missed his turn.

No injuries were reported. Brooks’ vehicle was towed.

Coppola was issued a written warning for making a restricted turn.

Three Injured In Collision

Newtown Police report Jean Passero, 82, of Sandy Hook, operating a 2007 Toyota Avalon, was traveling southbound on South Main Street at 8:30 am March 13. She was traveling behind a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox operated by Jonathan Buhs, 40, of Bethel. Buhs came to a stop to turn left into a parking lot, and Passero was unable to stop in time, rear-ending Buhs’ vehicle.

Both operators and a passenger were transported to Danbury Hospital for possible injuries. Both vehicles were towed.

Passero was issued an infraction for following too close.

No License, Warrant For Arrest

Newtown Police report that at 6:25 pm March 14, officers observed a gray Nissan Pathfinder bearing a counterfeit paper registration plate on the rear of the vehicle, along with other motor vehicle violations. Officers performed a traffic stop and the operator, Clark Andre, 30, of Bridgeport, was found to have an active warrant for his arrest from an incident with the Norwalk Police Department. Andre was also found to be driving without a license.

Andre was charged with second-degree failure to appear and operating without a license.

He was released after posting a $10,000 bond with a court date of April 4 in Stamford Superior Court.

Rear-Ended On Church Hill

Newtown Police report Jack Casali, 22, of Bethel, operating a 2008 GMC Envoy, was traveling westbound on Church Hill Road at 7:55 pm March 15. He was traveling behind a 2014 Subaru Forester operated by Christine Quinn, 37, of Fairfield. Quinn stopped in the roadway to turn left into a parking lot, and Casali struck her vehicle from behind.

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

No enforcement action was mentioned in the report.

Hit Curb In Drive Through

Newtown Police report Eron Redzepi, 43, of Sandy Hook, operating a 2019 Audi A7, was at the drive through window of the CVS Pharmacy on Queen Street at 11:02 am March 16. While pulling up to the window, Redzepi approached at too sharp an angle, causing the underneath of the driver’s side bumper to scrape along the painted yellow caution curb underneath the pharmacy transaction box.

No injuries were reported. The vehicle was not towed.

No enforcement action was taken since the incident occurred on private property.

Backed Into Car

Newtown Police report Angel Romero-Lema, 42, of Newtown, operating a 2018 Honda CR-V, was backing up from a parking spot in front of 43 Main Street at 8:22 am March 17. Heather Kwap, 49, of Newtown, operating a 2017 Honda Odyssey, was stopped in the southbound travel lane of Main Street for a pedestrian crossing. Romero-Lema backed into Kwap’s vehicle.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

Romero-Lema was issued a written warning for unsafe backing.

Rear-Ended On South Main

Newtown Police report Jessica Troccolla, 41, of Oxford, operating a 2007 Ford Explorer, was traveling northbound on South Main Street at 5:56 pm March 17. She was traveling behind a 2009 Honda Fit operated by Adriel Rodriguez, 24, of Fishkill, N.Y. Rodriguez began to slow down and the front end of Troccolla’s vehicle struck the rear of his vehicle.

Rodriguez was evaluated on scene and transported to Danbury Hospital for a possible injury. Rodriguez’s vehicle was towed.

Troccolla was issued a written warning for following too close resulting in an accident.

Hit Unoccupied Vehicle

Newtown Police report Marcia Strittmatter, 75, of Southbury, operating a 2018 Buick Envision, was parking in a space in the lot of 45 Main Street at 12:09 pm March 18. While parking, Strittmatter collided with a 2024 Toyota Camry owned by You Meng Hin of Sandy Hook.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

No enforcement action was taken since the incident occurred on private property.