Misjudged Turn

Newtown Police report David Craig, 62, of Durham, operating a 2008 Ford Econoline, was turning left into the parking lot of 123 South Main Street at 2:21 pm August 8. Craig told police as he started his turn, he saw an oncoming vehicle and accelerated to attempt to avoid a collision. Police say he misjudged the turn and traveled over the median in the parking lot and struck a stop sign.

No injuries were reported. The vehicle was not towed.

Craig was given a verbal warning for making an improper turn.

Sentra Hits Jetta

Newtown Police report Amy Geiger, 57, of Bethel, operating a 2008 Nissan Sentra, was at the intersection of Church Hill Road and The Boulevard at 9:04 am August 16. Gary Barna, 66, of Newtown, operating a 2003 Volkswagen Jetta, was stopped in the through lane at the intersection traffic light. Police say Geiger attempted to enter the through lane from the left turn lane and proceeded too far, colliding with the rear end of Barna’s vehicle.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

No enforcement action was mentioned in the report.

One Injured

Newtown Police report John Callahan, 36, of Sandy Hook, operating a 2019 Ram 1500 Big Horn, was traveling southbound on Mt Pleasant Road, at 8:55 pm August 17. Raymond Irrera, 56, of Sandy Hook, operating a 2019 Subaru Crosstrek, was traveling southbound on Mt Pleasant Road ahead of Callahan. Police say the front of Callahan’s vehicle struck a cargo carrier on the rear of Irrera’s vehicle.

Irrera was transported to Danbury Hospital with a possible injury. Irrera’s vehicle was towed.

Callahan was issued an infraction for following too close.

Too Fast For Conditions

Newtown Police report Manuel Almodovar, 31, of West Haven, operating a 2011 BMW 328xi, was traveling northbound on Toddy Hill Road near Meadow Woods Lane at 7:18 am August 18. Police say Almodovar’s vehicle crossed the center lane, went off the roadway left, then crossed back over the center line and off the roadway to the right.

No injuries were reported. The vehicle was towed.

Almodovar was issued an infraction for traveling too fast for conditions.

DUI Charge

Newtown Police said officers responded to the report of an erratic driver in the area of Berkshire Road and Great Quarter Road at 10:07 pm August 20. Officers located the vehicle as it was negotiating a curve on Berkshire Road near Zoar Road, and witnessed the vehicle cross over the center dividing lane and nearly strike an oncoming vehicle. An officer then initiated a traffic stop.

The operator, Angel Pelaez, 40, of Danbury, was taken into custody and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, failure to drive in the proper lane, and operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license.

Pelaez was released on a $3,500 bond with a court date of September 1 in Danbury Superior Court.

Volvo Hits Honda

Newtown Police report Robert Sawyer, 49, of Wilton, operating a 2016 Volvo XC70, was traveling westbound on Sugar Street at 2:20 pm August 21. He was traveling behind a 2021 Honda Accord operated by Flavia Berthama, 18, of Newtown. Police say Berthama stopped to wait to make a left turn onto Elm Street and Sawyer was unable to stop in time, rear-ending Berthama’s vehicle.

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

Sawyer was issued an infraction for traveling an unreasonable distance apart.

Golf Club Found

Newtown Police report that at 2:55 pm August 21, a youth 9-iron golf club was found on Platts Hill Road. The club is Cobra brand and black and orange in color. The owner is asked to contact the Newtown Police Department at 203-426-5841 and speak with Officer Benjamin Mulhall to get the item returned.

Evading Jeep

Newtown Police report Amy Dube, 27, of Danbury, operating a 2021 Mazda CX-5 Touring, was traveling northbound on Poverty Hollow Road at 5:50 pm August 21. A white van was stopped at a stop sign facing westbound on Hattertown Road, and a white Jeep Cherokee was behind the van. The van proceeded through the intersection, then Dube entered the intersection traveling along Poverty Hollow Road. The Cherokee entered the intersection and the front right part of the vehicle struck the rear right bumper of Dube’s vehicle. The Cherokee then left the scene, proceeding westbound onto Hattertown Road.

No injuries were reported.

Flag Pole Collision

Newtown Police report Cormac O’Malley, 81, of Stonington, operating a 2017 Subaru Legacy, was traveling westbound on Church Hill Road and stopped at the intersection with Main Street at 12:02 pm August 22. Silva Herrera, 33, of Newtown, operating a 2019 Mazda Cx-9, was traveling northbound on Main Street, through the intersection with Church Hill Road. Police say O’Malley turned left onto Church Hill Road directly in front of Herrera’s vehicle, and the front of Herrera’s vehicle struck the rear of O’Malley’s vehicle.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

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

Off-Ramp Crash

Newtown Police report Jonathan Jones, 30, of Waterbury, operating a 2020 Honda Civic, was traveling northbound on the Interstate 84 Exit 11 off-ramp at 5:15 pm August 22. David Kulp, 66, of Sandy Hook, operating a 2014 Honda CR-V, was traveling eastbound on Wasserman Way and stopped at the off-ramp intersection. Police say Jones stopped at a traffic light in the left lane preparing to turn right onto Wasserman Way, then turned right while Kulp was continuing straight. The front right bumper of Kulp’s vehicle struck the driver’s side of Jones’ vehicle.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

Jones was issued a verbal warning for failure to grant right of way at an intersection.

Sideswiped In Parking Lot

Newtown Police report Anne Eckman, 57, of Brookfield, operating a 2013 Honda Pilot, was pulling out of a parking space for the Meeting House on Main Street at 3:30 pm August 23. A 2012 Honda Accord was parked unoccupied nearby and Eckman’s vehicle sideswiped the Accord.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

No enforcement action was mentioned in the report.

Disobeying Traffic Officer

Newtown Police report Cortes Hernandez, 31, of Bridgeport, operating a 2010 Toyota Prius, was traveling southbound on South Main Street in a construction zone with the northbound lane closed at 11:46 pm August 24. Ackeem Brown, 30, of Fairfield, operating a 2016 Volkswagen Jetta, was turning southbound onto South Main Street from Swamp Road after being directed to do so by an officer assigned to handle traffic control. Police say Hernandez did not stop when directed to stop, and Brown’s vehicle hit the driver’s side of Hernandez’s vehicle. Hernandez continued traveling southbound after the incident and was stopped by the officer who was directing traffic.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

Hernandez was issued a verbal warning for misuse of registration plates and disobeying the direction of an officer.

Two Injured

Newtown Police report Vaughn Calder, 37, of Brooklyn, N.Y., operating a 2020 Freightliner MT55, was traveling northbound on South Main Street at 9:23 am August 25. He was traveling behind a 2015 Honda CR-V operated by Earl Rawles, 38, of New Haven, which was in turn behind a 2024 Volvo XC90 operated by Jenny Davis, 52, of Westport. Police say Calder rear-ended Rawles’ vehicle, which was pushed into Davis’ vehicle.

Rawles and a passenger in his vehicle were transported to Danbury Hospital with possible injuries. Rawles’ vehicle was towed.

Calder received an infraction for failure to drive a reasonable distance apart.

Keys Found

On August 26, someone turned in a set of keys to Newtown Police Department. The keys were recovered in the area of Queen Street and Lorraine Drive at approximately 12:30 pm. Anyone who has lost a set of keys is asked to contact Newtown Police Department.

Public Indecency Charge

Newtown Police arrested John Remchuk, 57, of Newtown at 7:09 pm August 28 and charged him with public indecency and second-degree violation of conditions of release. He was released on a $500 bond with a court date of September 12 in Danbury Superior Court. No other details were provided.

Two Flat Tires

Newtown Police report Cynthia Burna, 70, of Southbury, operating a 2020 Volkswagen Jetta, was traveling northeast on Toddy Hill Road. Burna told police as she approached the intersection of Marlin Road, another vehicle came near her lane of travel, causing her to swerve to the right and striking the curb, flattening both passenger side tires.

No injuries were reported. The vehicle was towed.

No enforcement action was taken.

Three-Car Collision

Newtown Police report Stephen Mason, 36, of Newtown, operating a 2017 Ford F250, was traveling southbound on South Main Street at 10:11 pm August 28. He was traveling behind a 2016 Nissan Versa operated by Richard Lansing, 78, of Trumbull, which was in turn behind a 2020 Honda CR-V operated by Guaman Arevalo, 24, of Danbury. Police say Arevalo came to a stop in the southbound lane behind other stopped vehicles at a construction site and Mason rear-ended Lansing, who was pushed forward into Arevalo’s vehicle.

No injuries were reported. None of the vehicles were towed.

Mason was issued a written warning for traveling an unreasonable distance apart.