Hit Car Leaving Driveway

Newtown Police report Dennis Frendt, 79, of Newtown, operating a 2019 Subaru Impreza, was exiting a private driveway onto Mt Pleasant Road at 8:02 am May 8. Lisa Russell, 55, of Newtown, operating a 2004 Hyundai Elantra, was traveling westbound on Mt Pleasant Road. Frendt’s vehicle struck Russell’s vehicle.

Frendt was transported to Danbury Hospital with possible injuries. Both vehicles were towed.

Frendt was issued an infraction for failure to yield right of way from a driveway.

Police Unable To Track Down Hit And Run Driver

Newtown Police report a 2019 BMW 530xi owned by Jill Wolowitz of Newtown was parked, unoccupied, in the parking lot of Caraluzzi’s, 5 Queen Street, from 5 to 5:30 pm May 8. When the vehicle owner returned, she found a note on her windshield saying an SUV had hit her vehicle, a Ford Expedition with the license plate AY24519. There was a question mark under the plate number. There was damage to the passenger side rear bumper area of Wolowitz’s vehicle. Newtown Police found that the plate number belonged to a 2017 white Volkswagen Jetta. Searches of the database did not reveal the identity of the vehicle. No video footage of the incident was available.

Improper Passing

Newtown Police report Daniel Prall, 62, of Danbury, operating a 2015 Toyota RAV4, was attempting to pass a US postal truck as it was attempting to make a left turn on Hattertown Road at 11:04 am May 13. William Martinez, 39, of Shelton, was operating the postal truck. While passing, Prall’s vehicle struck the postal truck’s left front mirror with its front end.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

Prall was issued a verbal warning for improper passing.

Hit Vehicle Leaving Commuter Park

Newtown Police report Mia Camputo, 17, of Newtown, operating a 2018 BMW 430xi, was exiting the exit 11 commuter parking lot on Wasserman Way at 2:55 pm May 13. Jillian Hoag, 17, of Newtown, operating a 2024 Ram 1500, was traveling southbound on Wasserman Way. The front of Camputo’s vehicle struck the front driver’s side of Hoag’s vehicle.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

Camputo was issued a written warning for failure to grant right of way from a driveway.

Both Vehicles Towed

Newtown Police report Daniel Immohr, 43, of Bridgewater, operating a 2011 Volkswagen Touareg, was stopped at the stop sign on Currituck Road at the intersection of Hawleyville Road at 8:21 am May 16. Karl Kattrein, 69, of Indian Lake, N.Y., operating a 2002 Ford Excursion, was traveling straight on Hawleyville Road. Immohr began to turn left in front of Kattrein when it was unsafe to do so, and Kattrein rear-ended Immohr’s vehicle.

No injuries were reported. Both vehicles were towed.

Immohr was issued an infraction for failure to grant right of way from a stop sign.

Rear-Ended On Mt Pleasant

Newtown Police report Sandra Creamer, 81, of Sandy Hook, operating a 2012 Jeep Wrangler, was traveling east on Mt Pleasant Road at 11:55 am May 17. She was traveling behind a 2016 GMC Sierra operated by John Kracen, 77, of Bridgewater. Kracen came to a stop and Creamer did not stop in time, rear-ending Kracen’s vehicle.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

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

Three Cars Damaged By Collision

Newtown Police report Thomas Duffy, 59, of Bethel, operating a 2021 Tesla Model 3, was traveling southbound on South Main Street when it approached a line of cars stopped for a traffic signal at 5:05 pm May 17. Patrick Patterson, 79, of Sandy Hook, operating a 2004 Subaru Forrester, was traveling northbound on South Main Street. Marie Risk, 65, of Watertown, operating a 2024 Lexus UX 250h, was traveling nearby. Duffy veered left into the northbound lane and struck Patterson’s vehicle. Risk’s vehicle was struck with a piece of flying debris.

No injuries were reported. Duffy’s and Patterson’s vehicles were towed.

Duffy received an infraction for failure to drive right.

Failure To Keep Reasonable Distance

Newtown Police report Allen Keller, 76, of Gaylordsville, was traveling southbound on South Main Street at 5:56 pm May 17. He was traveling behind a 2017 Volkswagen Golf operated by Nyle Blanck, 32, of Milford. Blanck stopped and Keller’s vehicle rear-ended Blanck’s vehicle.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

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

Hit And Run Under Investigation

Newtown Police report a 2009 Nissan Murano owned by Michelle Yacovelli of Monroe was parked in a parking space in the Stop & Shop parking lot, 228 South Main Street at 6:58 pm May 17. A witness reported the vehicle was struck by a black Jeep Cherokee as it was leaving an adjacent space. The Jeep Cherokee then left the scene.

A criminal investigation is pending.

Struck Stone Wall

Newtown Police report Juan Ortega, 47, of Newtown, operating a 2004 Honda Accord, was traveling eastbound on Berkshire Road at 9:02 pm May 17. When attempting to turn right into a driveway, the vehicle exited the eastbound travel lane, drove over a curb, into a culvert and struck a stone wall.

No injuries were reported. The vehicle was towed.

No enforcement action was taken.

Disorderly Conduct Arrest

Newtown Police arrested Rodrigo Gomes, 43, of Newtown, at 11:50 am May 18, on the charge of disorderly conduct. He was released on a promise to appear with a court date of June 4 in Danbury Superior Court.

Unsafe Movement

Newtown Police report Ruben Garzon-Contreras, 38, of Danbury, operating a 2015 Audi Q5, was parked in a parking space on the shoulder of the southbound travel lane of Church Hill Road at 3:59 pm May 18. Johnnie Robbins, 54, of Pawcatuck, operating a 2016 Ford Fiesta, was traveling south on Church Hill Road. Garzon-Contreras attempted to merge into the southbound travel lane and the front left side of his vehicle struck the right side of Robbins’ vehicle.

No injuries were reported. Garzon-Contreras’ vehicle was towed.

Garzon-Contreras was issued an infraction for unsafe movement of a stopped, standing, or parked vehicle.

DUI Charge

Newtown Police report Steven Iglesias, 32, of Wilton, operating a 2018 Subaru Impreza, was traveling eastbound on Botsford Hill Road at 6:03 pm May 19. On approaching a sharp left-hand curve, Iglesias lost control of his vehicle and struck a dirt embankment, which flipped the vehicle onto its roof.

No injuries were reported. The vehicle was towed.

Iglesias was arrested and charged with illegal operation of a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and failure to drive in the proper lane. He was released on a $857.15 bond with a court date of May 28 in Danbury Superior Court.

Collision While Checking Rear View

Newtown Police report Gavin Cardita, 20, of Brookfield, operating a 2013 Nissan Rogue, was traveling westbound on Hawleyville Road at 10:01 am May 20. He was traveling behind a 2005 Nissan Altima operated by Donna Freeman, 77, of Brookfield. Freeman stopped her vehicle with the intention of making a left turn onto Barnabas Road, and Cardita’s vehicle rear-ended her vehicle. Cardita told police he had just passed through a construction zone and he was checking his rear-view to ensure he hadn’t passed through the area against the instruction of the flagging crew.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

Cardita was issued a verbal warning for following too close.

Found Key Fob

Newtown Police report that a key fob for a Jeep vehicle was found in the area of Trinity Church, 36 Main Street, at approximately 11 am May 20.

Anyone with information or wishing to claim the item should contact the Newtown Police Department at 203-426-5841.

Hit And Run

Newtown Police report Chloe Kriauciunas, 16, of Newtown, operating a 2019 Audi A4, was parked on the roadside of the southbound lane in front of 45 Main Street at 7:10 pm May 20. An unidentified vehicle was traveling southbound on Main Street. Kriauciunas began to enter the travel lane when the side of the unknown vehicle struck the front left wheel well of Kriauciaunas’ vehicle. The unknown vehicle continued traveling southbound on Main Street and did not stop.

No injuries were reported. Kriauciunas’ vehicle was not towed.

Reckless Driving Charge

Newtown Police report Patrick McKenzie, 18, of Newtown, operating a 2019 Jeep Cherokee, was traveling southbound on Boggs Hill Road at 9:45 pm May 20. McKenzie’s vehicle exited the southbound travel lane and off the roadway, striking a telephone pole and a tree, causing the vehicle to roll over. It struck a mailbox before rolling over again and coming to a stop in the southbound travel lane.

No injuries were reported. The vehicle was towed.

McKenzie was issued a misdemeanor summons for reckless driving, failure to maintain lane, and operation of a motor vehicle while using a hand held or mobile electronic device — first offense.

Hit And Run Driver Sought

Newtown Police report Samantha Pierce, 26, of Tupper Lake, N.Y., operating a 2009 Saab 9-3, was traveling southbound on South Main Street at 5:07 pm May 21. An unidentified white vehicle with heavy window tints was traveling behind Pierce. Pierce stopped in a left turn lane, waiting to turn left, and the unknown vehicle struck the rear of her vehicle before leaving the scene.

Any witnesses to the incident are asked to contact Officer Paula Wickman at 203-426-5841.