Police Reports | September 23-30, 2010
Vehicle Vandalized
Police report that a motor vehicle that was parked in the area of Newtown High School on September 23 was vandalized while its driver was at the high school.
Police received a call at about 9:30 pm reporting that the unspecified vehicle had been intentionally damaged by an unknown person.
Police ask anyone with information about the incident to contact them at 203-426-5841.
South Main Collision
At about 3:30 pm on September 29, motorist Brian McCarthy, 49, of Bridgeport was driving a 2010 Ford SUV northward near 76 South Main Street and then stopped for traffic conditions, after which the Ford was struck from behind by a northbound 2009 Honda van driven by Amma Serwaah-Koduah, 55, of Meriden, according to police.
Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps members treated McCarthy at the scene for neck pain, police report. Police issued Serwaah-Koduah an infraction for following too closely.
Ford vs VW
Police report that at about 3:30 pm on September 30, motorist Emily Lawn, 20, of Pawcatuck, who was driving a 1998 Volkswagen sedan, was waiting at a traffic signal at the intersection of South Main Street and Sand Hill Plaza's northern driveway.
Motorist James Vickerelli, 40, of 241 South Main Street, who was driving a 1998 Ford SUV, was waiting in line behind the Volkswagen, police said.
When the signal changed from red to green, the Volkswagen stalled and the Ford rolled forward, striking the rear end of the Volkswagen, police said.
There were no injuries. Police gave Vickerelli a written warning for following too closely.
Botsford Bridge Hit
Police report an incident in which a piece of equipment mounted on the roof of a trailer being hauled by a pickup truck struck the low-clearance Housatonic Railroad overpass on Botsford Hill Road at about 10:22 am September 26.
In that incident, Brian Proulx, 38, of Middlebury was driving a 1997 Chevrolet pickup truck that was hauling a 1996 Scott trailer, police said. Both the truck and the trailer are owned by the state Commission on Fire Prevention and Control, police said.
As Proulx was driving the truck westward on Botsford Hill Road to travel beneath the railroad overpass, an air conditioner mounted on the roof of the trailer struck the bridge, police said.
Proulx was not injured. The impact did not damage the bridge, police said. Police said they verbally warned Proulx for a vehicular violation.
High School Hit & Run
According to police, a 2000 Honda sedan, which is owned by a Sandy Hook resident, was parked in parking space #227 at Newtown High School, in the southwest corner of the main parking lot, from about 10 am to 4:10 pm on October 2, when an unknown vehicle struck the driver-side rear door of the Honda, damaging the Honda. The unknown driver then left the scene of the collision without reporting it.
Police are investigating and ask anyone with knowledge of the incident to contact Officer Bart Lorancaitis at the police station.
I-84 Crash
At about 5:30 pm on September 30, motorist Luis Marques, 61, of Southbury, who was driving a 2000 Audi TT in the right lane of three lanes on eastbound Interstate 84, moved from the right lane into the center lane of the highway in the area about 500 feet east of the Exit 11 off-ramp, where the highway narrows from three lanes to two lanes, state police said.
At that time, traffic speeds were dropping and motorist Philip Burdick, 50, of Southbury, who was driving a 1993 Toyota pickup truck in the center lane, struck the rear end of the Audi, state police said.
There wee no injuries. State police said they verbally warned Burdick for following too closely.
Highway Accident
State police report a three-vehicle chain-reaction accident on westbound Interstate 84, near the Exit 11 off-ramp, at about 8:10 am September 29.
All three vehicles involved in the accident were traveling in the left lane of three lanes on the road.
Motorist Janiris Guzman, 24, of Waterbury, who was driving a 2003 Mazda Tribute, slowed for traffic conditions, after which motorist Kenneth Romer, 27, of Naugatuck, who was driving a 2009 Nissan Altima, slowed behind the Mazda, state police said.
Motorist Stanley Guzik, 50, of Williamsburg, Mass., who was driving a 1998 Ford Mustang, then struck the Nissan from behind, pushing the Nissan into the rear end of the Mazda, state police said. The Ford then also struck the Mazda.
Romer was transported by ambulance volunteers to Danbury Hospital for treatment of minor injuries, state police said. Sandy Hook firefighters responded to the accident. Guzik received an infraction for following too closely.
Four Vehicle Accident
A four-vehicle accident occurred about 7:45 am on September 27 on westbound Interstate 84, about 500 feet east of Exit 9, state police said.
The incident happened during the morning rush amid wet road conditions. The chain-reaction accident took place when traffic was slowing on the congested highway.
Motorist Jenny Nichols, 49, of Bethlehem, who was driving a 2008 Mazda, struck the rear end of a 2008 Suzuki driven by Antoinette Racanelli, 67, of Naples, Fla., state police said.
That impact pushed the Suzuki into the rear end of a 2004 Honda driven by Michelle Tong-Tang, 40, of Southbury, causing the Honda to be pushed into the rear end of a 2004 Chevrolet driven by John Gaynor, 46, of 12 Alberts Hill Road, state police said.
Ambulance volunteers transported Racanelli to Danbury Hospital for treatment of pain, according to state police. Enforcement information was not available.
Interstate Collision
At about 4:06 am on October 1, driver Edward Brown, 44, of Hermitage, Penn., was driving a 2005 GMC U-Haul truck on westbound Interstate 84, about 150 feet east of Exit 10, when he failed to negotiate a curve in the road, resulting in the truck crashing into the flex-beam metal guardrailing on the left side of the highway, state police said.
Brown was not injured. He received an infraction for failure to drive in the established lane.
DUI Case
Police said they responded to a report at about 8:38 pm on October 3 that there was a male passed out behind the steering wheel of a vehicle at Chestnut Hill Road.
Police report that after investigating, they determined that Paul Scott Veillette, 52, of 21 Chestnut Hill Road was intoxicated while inside the unspecified vehicle. Police said they charged Veillette with driving under the influence.
Following processing, Veillette was released on $500 bail for an October 19 appearance in Danbury Superior Court.
Church Hill Impact
A two-vehicle accident occurred on Church Hill Road in front of the Blue Colony Diner about 3:05 pm September 30.
Police said motorist Jeffrey Bean, 55, of Fitchburg, Mass., was driving a 2008 Pontiac station wagon westward on Church Hill Road, as motorist Timothy Dunn, 43, of Waterbury was driving a 2005 Honda eastward there.
As the Pontiac was making a left turn to enter the driveway at 66 Church Hill Road, it collided with the Honda, police said.
Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps staffers treated a 9-year-old child who was a passenger in the Honda, police said.
Police verbally warned Bean for making a restricted turn.