Faulty Brakes

Newtown Police report Andrea Garmun, 71, of Shelton, operating a 2017 Lexus NX 200t, was traveling out of a driveway on Orchard Hill Road at 10:24 pm March 8. Garmun drove off the eastbound lane of the roadway, striking a stone wall before the vehicle came to a stop in the westbound lane. Police stated the vehicle's brakes failed.

No injuries were reported.

No enforcement action was taken.

Failure To Appear

Newtown Police report that at 11:19 pm March 21, an officer performed a traffic stop after observing a vehicle that had a suspended registration among other motor vehicle violations. It was subsequently determined that the driver, Louise Aviles, 23, of Bridgeport, had an active warrant for her arrest after failing to appear in court in Bridgeport.

Aviles was arrested and charged with second-degree failure to appear. She was released after posting a $10,000 bond and given a court date of April 7 in Bridgeport.

Three Car Crash

Newtown Police are seeking a vehicle involved in a three vehicle crash at 3:07 pm March 23. The unidentified vehicle turned left from the I-84 west exit ramp onto Hawleyville Road, and made contact with a 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee operated by Christopher Churchill, 46, of Waterbury.

Churchill's vehicle, due to the collision with the unidentified vehicle, crossed over the northbound lane of travel and struck a 2015 Chevrolet Silverado operated by Raymond Jiminez, 58, of Bethel. Jiminez's vehicle had been parked on the shoulder of the northbound lane of travel. Following the collision, the unidentified vehicle left the scene.

No injuries were reported.

(A photo of this crash appeared in the March 25, 2022 print edition of The Newtown Bee and in last week's online Fire Reports.)

Hit Car While Parking

Newtown Police report Alison Powers, 17, of Sandy Hook, operating a 2014 Infiniti Qx60, was making a right turn into a parking space in the rear parking lot of 71 South Main Street at 7:26 pm March 26. While parking, the left front section of Powers' vehicle hit the left front section of a 2018 Ford Edge Titanium owned by Annette Guerra, 64, of Monroe, that had backed into a parking spot.

No injuries were reported.

No charges were filed since the incident occurred on private property.

Dispute Over Whether Suspected Collision Occurred

Newtown Police report that Nicole Manka, 49, of Newtown, operating a 2015 Ford Fusion S, was backing out of a parking space at 75 Church Hill Road at 10:08 March 24 as Elissa Morrell, 36, of Newtown, was backing in to a neighboring spot. Morrell told police that Manka's vehicle hit the driver's side door of Morrell's vehicle, causing scratches, and then Manka left the parking lot. Morrell was able to see the license number as the vehicle left the lot and called police.

Manka told an investigating officer she was backing into the spot when Morrell beeped her horn, and that the vehicles were close but did not make contact.

No injuries were reported.

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

Rear Ended At Stop Sign

Newtown Police report Jerakton Cerqueira-Dasilva, 45, of Danbury, operating a 2005 Honda Pilot LX, was traveling westbound on Ethan Allen Road at 2:33 pm March 25. Cerquiera-Dasilva came to a stop at the stop sign at the intersection with South Main Street, behind a 2000 Jeep Cherokee SE operated by Janet Ohrahdan, 50, of Newtown. Ohrahdan began to move forward and came to a stop again due to traffic. Cerquiera-Dasilva also moved forward and the front of his vehicle made contact with the rear of Ohrahdan's vehicle.

A passenger in Ohrahdan's vehicle complained of back pain but declined medical treatment. No other injuries were reported.

Cerquiera-Dasilva was given a verbal warning for traveling an unreasonable distance apart.

Truck Hit Overpass

Newtown Police report Yedil Tokmurzin, 47, of Denia Beach, Fla, operating a 2022 Ford tractor trailer, was traveling southbound on Currituck Road while towing a trailer with two vans attached at 9:33 am March 26. After passing a sign warning of the height of the upcoming structure, Tokmuzin traveled under the railroad overpass, with the top of the forwardmost van striking the overpass.

No injuries were reported.

Tokmurzin received an infraction for failure to obey a traffic sign.

Hit Utility Pole

Newtown Police report Alana O'Donnell, 23, of Newtown, operating a 2008 Nissan Versa, was negotiating a curve in the roadway while traveling northbound on Castle Meadow Road at 6:43 am March 27. O'Donnell's vehicle crossed the centerline and then collided with a utility pole off the left side of the road.

No injuries were reported.

O'Donnell was issued a verbal warning for failure to drive right on a curve.

Arrested For DUI

Newtown Police report Aaron Heron, 26, of Brookfield, was arrested at 7:27 pm March 27 on the charges of disobeying the signal of an officer, illegal operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and failure to drive upon the right. He was released on a promise to appear with a court date of April 12.

Struck Car Stopping For Flagger

Newtown Police report Amanda Hardial, 19, of Monroe, operating a 2009 Honda Civic LX-S, was traveling northbound on Wasserman Way at 10:04 am March 28. Hardial was traveling behind a 2008 Audi A6 Quattro operated by Michael O'Connor, 32, of Sandy Hook. O'Connor reportedly stopped in the right turn lane at the intersection of Berkshire Road for a flagger, and the front of Hardial's vehicle made contact with the rear of O'Connor's vehicle, causing damage to both vehicles.

Hardial's vehicle was towed. No injuries were reported.

Hardial was issued a written warning for following too closely resulting in an accident.

Assault, Strangulation Charges

Newtown Police report James Principi, 41, of Bethel, was arrested at 7:57 pm March 28 at Newtown Police Department for second-degree breach of peace, third-degree assault, and second-degree strangulation/suffocation. He was released on a $200 cash bond with a court date of March 29 in Danbury Superior Court.

Rear Ended Making Turn

Newtown Police report Aidan Budge, 18, of Newtown, operating a 1997 Honda Prelude, was traveling east on Church Hill Road at 8:35 pm March 28. Budge was traveling behind a 2015 Honda Pilot operated by Yongquan Dong, 59, of Sandy Hook. The front bumper of Budge's vehicle struck the rear bumper of Dong's vehicle as Dong attempted to turn left onto Ardi Court.

A passenger in Dong's vehicle was transported to Danbury Hospital by Newtown Ambulance for the report of a neck injury. Budge's vehicle was towed.

Budge was issued an infraction for following too closely resulting in an accident.

Arrested For Stalking

Newtown Police report Mark Brennan, 58, of New Lebanon, NY, was arrested at 11:10 am March 29 on the charges of three counts of second-degree stalking. He was held on $10,000 bond with a court date of March 30.