Knife Found

Police report they continue to hold a found knife for safekeeping.

The folding-style pocket knife was found on Canterbury Lane in Sandy Hook on April 15, police said. Canterbury Lane extends from Charter Ridge Road. The owner may contact police at 3 Main Street to claim the item.

Vehicular Vandalism

Police said that probably between midnight and 2 am on Sunday, July 14, someone vandalized an unspecified vehicle that was parked at Sugar Hill Automotive Service Center at 153 Sugar Street (Route 302).

Police ask anyone with knowledge of the incident to contact Officer Benjamin Mulhall at 203-426-5841.

SUV Hits Rock

Motorist Justin Germak, 17, of 52 Moccasin Trail was driving a 2008 Nissan Rogue SUV northward on Toddy Hill Road, near Marlin Road, about 2:25 am on July 14, when he lost control of the vehicle while negotiating a curve in the road, police said.

The Nissan went off the right side of street and then struck a rock, police said. Germak was not injured. Police said they verbally warned him for making a restricted turn.

Dog On Road

Motorist Virginia Gutbrod, 53, of 4 Walnut Tree Hill Road was driving a 2003 Honda Civic sedan eastward near 51 Church Hill Road about 2:21 pm on July 17, when a dog entered the roadway, causing Gutbrod the stop the Honda, police report.

Eastbound motorist Donald G. Luf, Jr, 49, of Southbury, who was driving a 2003 Kia Sedona minivan, then struck the rear end of the Honda, police said.

There were no injuries. Police said they gave Luf a written warning for following too closely.

I-84 Accident

State police report that a two-vehicle accident occurred about 10:30 am on July 15 on eastbound Interstate 84, about one mile west of Exit 10.

In that incident, motorist Thomas McMahon, 70, of West Hartford, who was driving a 1999 Lincoln Continental sedan, was slowing for traffic conditions, when the Lincoln was struck from behind by motorist April McBride, 34, of New Milford, who was driving a 2010 Hyundai Sonata sedan, state police said.

McMahon received a possible injury, state police said. Enforcement information was not available.

I-84 Collision

At about 9:43 am on July 17, trucker Matthew VanValkenburg, 36, of Perkasie, Penn., was driving a 2011 Kenworth truck, which was hauling a trailer, westward in heavy stop-and-go traffic on Interstate 84, about 200 feet west of the Currituck Road overpass, according to state police.

The Kenworth then stopped and was struck from behind by a westbound 2007 Toyota Yaris subcompact car driven by Cristina Campos, 30, of Danbury, state police said.

There were no injuries. Campos received an infraction for following too closely, state police report.

Toyota Hits Tree

Police report that motorist Allison Hotchkiss, 18, of 44 Hanover Road was driving a 2003 Toyota Solara coupe westward on Saw Mill Ridge Road about 10:34 pm on July 17, when she approached a curve in the road and then drove off the right side of the street, striking a tree.

There were no injuries. Police said they issued Hotchkiss a written warning for making a restricted turn.

Juvenile Arrested

According to police, at 11:36 pm on Wednesday, July 17, they arrested a 17-year-old boy, charging him with sixth-degree larceny following their investigation into an incident that had occurred earlier that day at Dickinson Park, 50 Elm Drive.

Police said that at about 7:12 pm, they had received a report concerning the theft of an Apple iPhone at the park, so they investigated, resulting in the arrest.

After processing, police released the boy on a written promise to appear in Danbury Juvenile Court to answer the charge. Because the person charged with the crime is under age 18, police did not disclose his identity.

 

Botsford Collision

Motorist William Terry, 71, of Monroe, who was driving a 2012 Ford F-150 pickup truck northward on Botsford Hill Road about 8:47 am on July 18, stopped for traffic conditions about 50 feet south of that street’s intersection with Little Brook Lane, according to police.

Northbound motorist William Siclari, 63, of Monroe, who was driving a 2005 Hyundai Elantra sedan, then struck the rear end of the Ford, police report.

There were no injuries. Police report they issued Siclari a written warning for failure to drive a reasonable distance apart.

Car vs Truck

Police report an accident involving a compact auto and a tractor-trailer truck about 6:45 am on July 19 on South Main Street, just north of its intersection with Bryan Lane.

Police said motorist Jamie Vaillancourt, 26, of Prospect was driving a 1998 Honda Civic sedan northward on South Main Street, as trucker Wagner Motta, 56, of Bridgeport was driving a 1998 Freightliner tractor-trailer truck southward there.

The Honda drifted into the opposite lane and the trucker moved to the right in seeking to avoid a collision, police said.

But the Honda then struck the truck and spun around, momentarily going beneath its trailer, after which the Honda disengaged from the trailer and came to rest alongside the southbound road shoulder, police said.

Vaillancourt needed to be extricated from the Honda by Botsford firefighters, after which she was transported to Danbury Hospital for treatment of injuries, police said. The accident is under investigation.

Main Street Crash

A two-vehicle accident occurred on Main Street about 10 am on July 19, according to police.

Motorist Bruce Dest, 55, of East Haven, who was driving a 2012 Ford E-250 van, stopped for traffic conditions, after which the Ford was struck from behind by motorist Jill Yanni, 41, of 106 Berkshire Road, who was driving a 2012 Chevrolet Malibu sedan, police said.

There were no injuries. Police said they verbally warned Yanni for a motor vehicle violation.

DUI Charge

State police report that while traveling on Route 34 in Sandy Hook about 10:40 pm on July 20, they performed a registration check on a vehicle that they were driving behind.

State police said they then investigated that vehicle’s driver at the Wasserman Way commuter parking lot, near Exit 11 of Interstate 84.

State police said they charged motorist Gregory Curtin, 58, of Orange with driving under the influence and with driving an unregistered vehicle.

After processing, Curtin was released on $1,000 nonsurety bail for an August 5 court appearance.

Harassment

Police report that after receiving a complaint on the night of July 21, they investigated and then charged Robert Willis, 18, of 7 Pole Bridge Road with second-degree harassment.

Police said the complaint involved alleged harassing text messages. After processing, police released Willis on a written promise to appear in court on August 6.

Property Damage

Police said that at 8:56 am on July 21, they were dispatched to a home at 15 Shepard Hill Road to investigate a damaged curbside mailbox there.

The investigation determined that the mailbox was damaged during a motor vehicle accident and that the driver of the vehicle had left the scene without reporting the collision, police said.

The vehicle involved in the incident is believed to be a Toyota. Police ask anyone with knowledge of the incident to contact Officer Benjamin Mulhall at the police station at 203-426-5841.

Sugar Street DUI

In a report, police said that they received a call about 10:12 pm on July 23 informing them that a motor vehicle accident had occurred near the intersection of Sugar Street (Route 302) and Sugar Hill Road, so they went there to investigate.

On arriving, police learned that a motorist involved in the accident had left the scene.

Based on evidence found among the accident debris, police said they learned that the missing driver lives in Bethel, so they went to his residence to investigate.

Police said they then charged David Cornell, 47, of Bethel with driving under the influence, evading responsibility, following too closely, and driving an unregistered vehicle. Police said they held Cornell on $500 bail for a July 24 court appearance.