Note: This story, originally posted Monday, July 27, 2015, has been updated to include details about the July 27 court appearance.

* * * * *

A Danbury man pleaded not guilty to eight criminal and motor vehicle charges on Monday, July 27, at his arraignment in Danbury Superior Court in connection with a Friday, July 24, incident at the Big Y supermarket at Newtown Shopping Village, 6 Queen Street.

Police said that at about 5 pm on July 24, they received a call from the store regarding a shoplifting incident and an ensuing motor vehicle accident in which the same man was involved. Police later identified that man as Richard Watson, 30, of Danbury.

Watson is represented in court by a public defender

Police said they went to the Big Y to investigate the complaint and determined that Watson had allegedly stolen some beer from the supermarket and then fled from the shopping center while driving a black Ford Explorer SUV.

Using Big Y video surveillance recordings, police determined that the person whom they were seeking was a white male with long hair and a goatee. The man wore a white T-shirt and had a tattoo on his chest, police said.

Police said that before Watson fled the Big Y parking lot in the Ford, a store security officer, who specializes in shoplifting prevention, approached Watson about the beer theft.

Watson was able to get inside his vehicle and then back out of a parking space while dragging along that security officer, police said.   

Also, the Ford struck a parked vehicle whose occupants included three children, police said.

The store security officer received minor injuries and was evaluated by Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps, police said. A paramedic responded to the scene. The security officer did not need to be transported to the hospital.

Newtown police and Danbury police later located the Ford Explorer and a man who matched the description of the Big Y shoplifter at a residence in Danbury.

Newtown police arrested Watson, charging him with one count each of third-degree robbery, sixth-degree larceny, second-degree breach of peace, evading responsibility, and driving while under suspension. Police also charged Watson with three counts of risk of injury to a child. The robbery charge and risk of injury charges are felonies.

After the arrest on Friday, police held Watson on $10,000 bail in the Newtown police station lockup for the July 27 court arraignment. On July 28, after pleading not guilty to the  eight charges, Watson was being held on the same amount of bail in Bridgeport Correctional Center for an August 17 court appearance. 

According to state court records, Watson has seven court convictions on various offenses in multiple jurisdictions.

Police Patrol Officer Richard Monckton investigated the Big Y incident.

Note: This story, originally posted Monday, July 27, 2015, has been updated to include details about the July 27 court appearance.