Tractor Trailer Hits Volkswagen

Brett Horcher, 40, of Collegeville, Penn., operating a 2018 Freightliner tractor trailer, was traveling northbound in the parking lot of 67 Church Hill Road at 3:39 pm February 5. An unoccupied 2023 Volkswagen Atlas owned by Daniel DeBlasio of Southbury was parked at a fuel pump in the same lot. While turning left to exit the lot, the right rear corner of Horcher’s vehicle struck the left front corner of DeBlasio’s vehicle.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

No enforcement action was taken since the incident occurred on private property.

Lost Keys

Newtown Police are seeking the owner of keys that were turned in to them at 11:45 am February 15. The keys were in the area of High Rock Road and New Lebbon Road. The key set contained one vehicle key fob and numerous other keys.

Anyone with any information is encouraged to contact the Newtown Police Department at 203-426-5841.

Caused Car To Hit Snow Pile

Newtown Police report Lorrie Jones, 68, of Sandy Hook, operating a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox, was traveling northbound on South Main Street at 4:42 pm February 15. Elijah Lewis, 37, of Bridgeport, operating a 2013 Hyundai Elantra, was traveling southbound on South Main Street. Jones attempted to turn left onto Country Club Road and caused Lewis to swerve and hit a frozen-over snow pile.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

Jones was issued an infraction for failure to grant right of way while making a left turn.

Jumped Curb Down Embankment

Newtown Police report Sunshine Lucas, 51, of Newtown, operating a 2023 Volvo XC60, was stopped in a parking spot in the lot of 75 Church Hill Road at 12:02 pm February 16. The vehicle jumped the curb and struck a wooden fence. It continued down an embankment, striking a pine tree and coming to a stop 30 feet down in a ditch.

Lucas said she thought her vehicle was in park, dropped an item and hit the gas pedal when she went to pick it up.

Lucas suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene. The vehicle was towed.

No enforcement action was taken since the incident occurred on private property.

(Photos of this incident were published in last week's Fire Reports.)

Snow Causes Collision

Newtown Police report Curtis Verdi, 51, of Sandy Hook, operating a 2020 Ford Expedition, was traveling westbound on Platts Hill Road at 1:09 pm February 17. Catherine Celano, 22, of Killingworth, operating a 2021 Subaru Outback, was traveling eastbound on Platts Hill Road. There is a “Road Closed” sign posted near Huntingtown Road indicating Platts Hill Road is closed, but there is no similar sign on the Orchard Hill side of Platts Hill. Celano lost control and skidded down the road due to snow, and the vehicles collided.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

Both operators received verbal warnings for failure to grant half of a roadway.

Unsafe Backing

Newtown Police report Kaheim Lemont, 24, of Bridgeport, operating a 2020 Ford Transit, was traveling eastbound on Meadowbrook Road at 2:38 pm February 17. Abralyne Kinzig, 38, of Sandy Hook, operating a 2019 Chevrolet Trax, was traveling eastbound on Meadowbrook Road behind Lemont. Lemont, acting as a delivery driver, drove past a delivery address and attempted to back to the missed address. The rear of Lemont’s vehicle struck the front of Kinzig’s vehicle.

No occupants were injured. Neither vehicle was towed.

Lemont was issued an infraction for unsafe backing.

Failed To Maintain Lane And Struck Embankment

Newtown Police report that Panday Sanjay, 27, of Queens Village, N.Y., operating a 2022 Lexus ES, was traveling eastbound on Botsford Hill Road at 4:27 am February 20. Sanjay began negotiating a curve left on Botsford Hill Road and left the roadway when the front of his vehicle struck an embankment off the eastbound lane before coming to a stop and flipping halfway on its side.

No injuries were reported. Sanjay’s vehicle was towed due to disabling damage.

Sanjay was issued a verbal warning for failure to maintain lane.

Private Property Accident

Newtown Police report Roger Grant, 54, of Naugatuck, operating a 2007 Saturn Vue Hybrid, drove off the side of a private driveway on Ox Hill Road and rolled onto its driver’s side down an embankment and into a creek at 11:52 am February 20. Grant was trapped in the vehicle and had to be extricated by fire personnel.

Grant did not complain of any injuries at the scene but was transported to the hospital for evaluation. Grant’s vehicle was towed.

Police did not issue any enforcement due to this being a private property accident and enforcement is not authorized.

Flag Pole Collision

Newtown Police report Helen Miller, 79, of East Sandwich, Mass., operating a 2011 Acura MDX, was exiting from Church Hill Road onto Main Street at 1:01 pm February 20. Michelle Bleakney, 64, of Newtown, operating a 2015 Chevrolet Equinox, was traveling southbound on Main Street. The front bumper of Miller’s vehicle collided with the left rear quarter panel and rear door of Bleakney’s vehicle.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

Miller was given a verbal warning for failure to obey a stop sign and failure to yield right of way to oncoming traffic.

High School Mirror Knock

Newtown Police report that Andrew Piccuillo, 17, was driving on February 22 at 8:56 am through the entrance to Newtown High School’s parking lot towards the left lane of the morning traffic. Richard Labash, 66, was pulled towards the right side of that traffic in the student drop-off lane. As Piccuillo passed Labash on the left side, the passenger side mirror of his vehicle made contact with the driver side mirror of the other vehicle.

No injuries were reported. No visible marking, cracks, or paint was observed on either mirror. Police photographs were taken.

No enforcement action was taken.

Rear-End in Traffic

Newtown Police report that Richard Brennan, 69, was traveling south on Hawleyville Road on February 23 at 7:48 am in the area north of Mt Pleasant Road in traffic, while Victor Caivinagua-Samaniego, 31, was following directly behind. Brennan slowed in traffic, and when Caivinagua-Samaniego failed to drive a reasonable distance apart from his vehicle, the right corner of his vehicle made contact with Brennan’s vehicle as he turned to the right in a failed attempt to avoid contact.

No injuries were reported. Caivinagua-Samaniego’s vehicle was towed at the operator’s request. No visual damage to his vehicle was observed. Minor damage to Brennan’s vehicle was observed.

Caivinagua-Samaniego was issued an infraction ticket for failure to drive a reasonable distance.

Impact at Intersection

Newtown Police report that Joshua Hamilton, 40, was traveling north on Botsford Hill Road on February 25 at 1:03 pm and stopped at the intersection with Little Brook Lane. Victor Siguenza, 43, was traveling north behind Hamilton and made contact with the stopped vehicle. There were conflicting reports regarding whether Hamilton’s turn signal was activated.

No injuries were reported.

A verbal warning was issued to Siguenza for failure to drive a reasonable distance apart.

Parked Car Impact

Newtown Police report that Seth Peterson, 63, was parked at 3 Shepard Hill Road on February 26 at 1:57 pm. While backing out, he did not see a vehicle owned by Kyle Desrochers, and made contact with the passenger side of the vehicle with his rear bumper, causing damage to both vehicles.

No injuries were reported.

No enforcement action was taken.