Motorcycle DUI

After learning that police held a warrant for his arrest, James Piersanti, 49, of Shelton went to the police station on the night of December 11 to be charged in connection with a November motor vehicle accident, police said.

Police said they arrested Piersanti on charges of driving under the influence and making a restricted turn.

Piersanti had been driving a motorcycle on the night of November 9 on Washington Avenue in Sandy Hook Center when he smashed into a fence alongside the road, police said. After that collision, Piersanti was transported to the hospital for treatment of injuries.

After he posted $250 bail on December 11, Piersanti was released from police custody for a December 23 arraignment on the charges in Danbury Superior Court.

Warrant

Police report that they served an arrest warrant on the night of December 11 against Ronald Frate, 41, at Frate’s home at 56 Bear Hills Road.

Police said they charged Frate with evading responsibility, failure to have automotive insurance, unsafe backing, and failure to surrender automotive documents.

The charges against Frate stem from a November 3 motor vehicle accident on Bear Hills Road, according to police. Frate was released on $260 bail for a December 18 court appearance.

Parked Truck

Motorist Abigail Peck, 16, of 129 Hanover Road was driving a 2001 Subaru Legacy eastward on Church Hill Road in Sandy Hook Center about 7:13 am December 11, when the windshield on the Subaru fogged, obscuring Peck’s vision, police said.

Peck then veered to the right and struck the rear end of a parked, unoccupied 2004 Ford F-350 truck, police said. Ambulance volunteers transported Peck to Danbury Hospital for treatment of pain, police said.

Police issued Peck an infraction for making a restricted turn.

VW Vs Nissan

Motorist Lee Morrell, 29, of Danbury, who was driving a 2008 Nissan Altima sedan eastward near 184 Mt Pleasant Road about 3:15 pm December 10, slowed for traffic conditions, police report.

Eastbound motorist Michele Sacco, 49, of Danbury, who was driving a 2002 Volkswagen Jetta sedan, then struck the rear end of the Nissan, police report.

There were no injuries. Sacco received a written warning for failure to drive a reasonable distance apart, police report.

 

Old Hawleyville Road

While traveling westward on Old Hawleyville Road about 10 am December 11, motorist Jill Cherry, 52, of 4 Old Hawleyville, who was driving a 2006 Toyota RAV-4, crossed into the road’s eastbound lane and sideswiped an eastbound United Parcel Service box truck driven by Eileen Routhier, 38, of New Milford, police said.

There were no injuries. Cherry received a written warning for failure to drive to the right, according to police.

 

Squirrel Incident

Motorist Jacqueline Ciambra, 39, of Easton, who was driving as 2008 Ford Expedition SUV northward near 280 South Main Street about 10:36 am December 14, was slowing for traffic which was slowing for a squirrel on the road, police report.

The Ford then swerved slightly to the right, police said.

Northbound motorist Gabrielle Rivera, 22, of Bridgeport, who was driving a 1998 Toyota Camry, then braked, skidded, and swerved to the left, but struck the Ford from behind, police report.

There were no injuries. Rivera received a written warning for failure to drive a reasonable distance apart, police said.

Paintball Case

After learning that police held a warrant for his arrest, Yowi M. Severino-Mejia, 21, of Bethel went to the police station and turned himself over to police on the morning of December 12.

Police then charged Severino-Mejia with failure to respond to an infraction stemming from an original charge of simple trespassing. Police said a Danbury Superior Court judge issued the warrant on December 10 in connection with an incident that occurred in August.

Severino-Mejia was among a group of eight people carrying paintball equipment who allegedly illegally entered the abandoned Batchelder industrial site at 46-A Swamp Road on August 24, according to police.

After arrest processing, police released Severino-Mejia on $92 bail for a December 23 court appearance.

SUV Vs SUV

Eastbound motorist Sandra Carroll, 60, of Oxford, who was driving a 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer, stopped at a red traffic signal on Wasserman Way at its intersection with Berkshire Road at about 2:30 pm December 9, after which eastbound motorist Keith Gantt, 41, of 1 Pole Bridge Road, who was driving a 2002 Mitsubishi Montero, attempted to stop, but struck the rear end of the Chevrolet, police said.

There were no injuries. Gantt received a written warning for failure to drive a reasonable distance apart, police said.

Botsford Crash

A two-vehicle accident occurred on South Main Street at its hazardous intersection with Swamp Road about 6:36 am December 10.

Motorist Jody Boles, 49, of 16 Swamp Road, who was driving a 2006 Jeep Commander, pulled out from a stop sign at the end of Swamp Road and attempted to turn left onto southbound South Main Street, but collided with motorist Matthew Yacashin, 58, of 46 Hanover Road, who was driving a 2004 Audi All-Road station wagon on South Main Street, police said.

There were no injuries. Boles received an infraction for failure to grant the right of way, police said.

Tractor-Trailer

About 9:26 am December 9, an unoccupied 1999 Jeep Cherokee SUV was parked on Watkins Drive in the Regency at Newtown condominium complex off Oakview Road, when a 2006 Mack tractor-trailer truck driven by Richard Paylor, 53, of Fairless Hills, Penn., backed into the Jeep, police said.

There were no injuries. Police said Paylor performed unsafe backing.

Highway Crash

State police said motorist Trevor Weinberg, 23, of Naugatuck was driving a 2008 Pontiac G-6 in the left lane of two lanes on westbound Interstate 84, near Exit 10, about 6:35 am December 12, when he skidded on the wet pavement and the Pontiac struck guardrailing on the highway median. Weinberg was not injured.

Deer on I-84

Marshall Rester, 28, of Tobyhanna, Penn., was driving a tractor-trailer truck eastward on Interstate 84, near Exit 9, about 3:30 am December 12, when he saw two deer crossing the highway, state police said.

Rester then applied his brakes, but the brakes locked up and he lost control of the truck, striking the guardrailing on the highway median, state police said. Rester was not injured.

I-84 Collision

At about 9:45 pm December 11, motorist Terrence Johanesen, 49, of 55 Osborn Hill Road, who was driving a 2001 Nissan Frontier pickup truck, was following an unspecified vehicle on a ramp at the Exit 11 interchange of Interstate 84, when the unspecified vehicle stopped, causing Johanesen to stop, state police said.

Motorist Mark Benzinger, 51, of 4 Wills Road, who was driving a 2005 Chevrolet Malibu, then came around a corner on the ramp and was unable to stop, colliding with the Nissan, state police said.

There were no injuries. The unspecified vehicle left the scene of the accident, according to state police, who said they are investigating the incident.

Reckless Driving

State police report that they detected motorist Scott Daniele, 24, of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., driving between 92 and 96 miles per hour for a distance of about 7,500 feet in a posted 65-mph zone on westbound Interstate 84 about 12:08 am December 15, so they stopped him to investigate.

State police arrested Daniele on a charge of reckless driving. He posted $500 bail for a December 29 appearance in Danbury Superior Court.

Drug Charges

Police report that they observed a suspicious vehicle parked alone in an unlit parking lot along Glen Road on the night of December 13, so they investigated.

Police said they found several people inside that vehicle, after which they arrested a 17-year-old male occupant of the vehicle on three criminal charges.

The boy was charged with possession of less than four ounces of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and with illegal possession of tobacco (cigarettes) by a person under age 18.

After arrest processing, police released the boy on a written promise to appear January 2 in Danbury Youthful Offender Court. State law shields the identities of people under age 18 who are arrested on criminal charges.

SUV Off Road

About 4 am December 13, motorist Jason Turbyfill, 22, of Southbury was driving a 1998 Ford Explorer northward on Glen Road, near its intersection with Cherry Street, when the vehicle encountered an icy patch on the pavement, went into a skid, went off the right road shoulder and then struck some curbing and two street signs, according to police.

Turbyfill was not injured. Police said they issued him an infraction for traveling too fast for conditions.

SUV Vs Pole

Motorist Nicholas Maccharoli III, 18, of 11 Old Town Road was driving a 2000 Jeep Cherokee westward near 191 Brushy Hill Road about 11:55 pm December 12, when the vehicle slid on icy pavement, went off the right road shoulder, struck a utility pole, spun around, and then came to rest on its left side, police said. Botsford firefighters went to the accident.

Maccharoli was not injured. Police said they issued him a written warning for traveling too fast for conditions.

Permit Lapsed

During a routine check of local businesses’ compliance with state alcohol regulations on December 16, police found that the alcohol permit for the One-Eyed Pig, a bar at 71 South Main Street, had lapsed in late November, police said.

Because the owner, William Piccirillo, 36, of 5 Sugarloaf Road, had thus been selling alcohol without a valid permit, police said they issued him a summons on a charge of unauthorized sale of alcohol.

Police said Piccirillo renewed the lapsed alcohol permit later that day.

Piccirillo is scheduled to appear in Danbury Superior Court on January 6, police said. Also, police said they will refer the matter to state alcohol regulators for review.

Taunton Hill DUI

Police report they investigated a one-vehicle accident in which the vehicle went off the road and struck a tree near 96 Taunton Hill Road at about 5 am December 17. There were no injuries.

After investigating, police charged motorist Kenneth Hood, 19, of 6 Dylan Drive with driving under the influence, traveling too fast for conditions, making a restricted turn, possession of drug paraphernalia, and failure to have automotive insurance.

Police said they released Hood on $100 bail for a January 2 court appearance.

Hawleyville DUI

Police report that at about 1:11 am on December 17, motorist Kyle Cipully, 22, of Danbury was making a left turn from eastbound Mt Pleasant Road onto northbound Hawleyville Road, when his vehicle traveled over some curbing and then went onto turf alongside the street.

Police said they stopped Cipully to investigate, after which they charged him with driving under the influence, making an improper turn, failure to carry a vehicle registration or an automotive insurance identification card, driving a vehicle with an improper muffler, and failure to renew a driver’s license.

After he posted $100 bail, police released Cipully for a January 9 court appearance.

 

Hydroplaning

Motorist Ciro Diiorio, 60, of Dodgingtown Road was driving a 1990 Pontiac coupe westward on Berkshire Road, near Chestnut Hill Road, about 11:15 pm December 11, when he lost control of the auto and started to hydroplane on the wet pavement, police said.

The Pontiac went off the road, entered a ditch, and struck an embankment, police said. Diiorio was not injured. Police verbally warned Diiorio for traveling too fast for conditions.

Gunfire

Police report they arrested two men on the night of December 7 on four charges each in connection with their allegedly shooting firearms in the woods near 20 Dinglebrook Lane.

Charged in the incident were Mark Wilchinsky, 20, of Stratford, and Ryan C. Strauss, 20, of Monroe, police said. Police charged each man with unlawful discharge of a firearm, discharge of a firearm within 500 feet of a building, breach of peace, and third-degree criminal mischief.

Police released both men on written promises to appear December 23 in Danbury Superior Court.

Main Street

Motorist Keith Fandrick, 30, of 48 New Lebbon Road was driving a 2007 Nissan X-Terra SUV northward near 44 Main Street about 8 am December 16, when he stopped for traffic conditions, police report.

Northbound motorist Marek Wojenski, 37, of Stratford, who was driving a 1998 Mazda Protégé sedan, began braking, but then struck the rear end of the Nissan, police said.

There were no injuries. Police issued Wojenski an infraction on charges of failure to drive a reasonable distance apart and traveling too fast for conditions.

VW Hits Pole

Motorist Jose Fernandez, 20, of Bridgeport was driving a 2003 Volkswagen Passat sedan eastward near 142 Mt Pleasant Road about 9 pm December 15, when the left front tire on the vehicle lost its grip on the pavement, police said.

The Volkswagen then went off the right side of the street and struck a utility pole. There were no injuries. Police said they gave Fernandez an infraction for making a restricted turn.

Saturn Vs Mailbox

Motorist Steven Musco, 17, of 25 Walnut Trail was driving a 2002 Saturn sedan southward near 19 Philo Curtis Road about 2:40 pm December 12, when he lost control of the auto, struck a curb, went off the road and then hit a residential mailbox, police report.

Musco was not injured. Police issued him a written warning for traveling unreasonably fast.

Sandy Hook Center

Police report they stopped motorist William T. Healey, Jr, 50, of 14 Housatonic Drive for a traffic violation in Sandy Hook Center about 8:40 am December 17.

After investigating, police charged Healey with a traffic signal violation, driving under suspension, and driving without automotive insurance.

Police released Healey on $100 bail for a January 2 appearance in Danbury Superior Court.

Probation Violation

Police said they took Robert L. Abric, 37, of Berkshire Road into custody at a Botsford Hill Road residence about 10:12 am December 16 and arrested him on a warrant, charging him with violation of probation in connection with a past incident.

Police said they also lodged three other criminal charges against Abric in connection with an incident that had occurred earlier that day.

Abric was arraigned on the charges in Danbury Superior Court on December 16, police said.

Abric was being held at the Bridgeport Correctional Center on various criminal charges on $90,300 bail on December 18, awaiting an appearance later that day in Bridgeport Superior Court.