Paintball Vandalism

Newtown police report they charged four Newtown High School students with vandalism counts on the afternoon of August 29 following incidents in Newtown, near the Monroe town line.

Police patrol officer Michael Edis said he received a report about 4:18 pm that a group of young people were driving in a red sedan in the area of Pine Tree Hill Road and Pastor’s Walk and shooting paintballs from a paintball gun at houses and parked vehicles there.

Police received a description of the red Oldsmobile sedan and its marker plate number from an area resident, after which they went to the vehicle owner’s residence, where they found the auto. Police said they found a garden hose nearby, which was being used to wash the orange paintball paint off the red car.

Police said they charged the driver of the auto, Kristen Grimaldi, 17, of 26 Paugussett Road, Sandy Hook, with two counts of third-degree criminal mischief, one count of reckless endangerment, and one count of conspiracy.

Police lodged the same charges against the other three youths who were passengers in the car. Charged are: Timothy Knapp, 16, of 115 Edge Lake Drive, Sandy Hook; Justin Harding, 16, of 50 Orchard Hill Road; and Alexander Rode, 16, of 25 Pine Tree Hill Road.

After they charged the four youths, Newtown police turned them over to Monroe police, who charged the four in connection with vandalism which was done in nearby Monroe, Newtown police said.

The four youths were released from custody and are scheduled to appear September 13 in Danbury Superior Court to answer the charges stemming from activity in Newtown. The four are scheduled to appear September 6 in Bridgeport Superior Court in connection with charges stemming from activity in Monroe.