Chain Reaction Collision

Newtown Police report Norma Chavez-Bissell, 69, of Monroe, operating a 2013 Mazda 3, and James Keith Dolan, 68, of Newtown, operating a 2019 Blue Bird Vision school bus, were both traveling eastbound on Berkshire Road at 7:40 am September 3. Eric Lee Bacon, 50, of Newtown, operating a 2017 Honda Odyssey, was traveling westbound on Berkshire Road and stopped in traffic. As the light turned green, Chavez-Bissell’s vehicle tried to pull into the right lane to go around Bacon’s vehicle when it struck Dolan’s vehicle. Then as it continued forward, it struck Bacon’s vehicle.

No injuries were reported. No vehicles were towed.

Chavez-Bissell was issued a verbal warning for failure to drive in the proper lane.

Following Too Close

Newtown Police report Maria Pergely, 64, of Ansonia, operating a 2004 Toyota Camry, and Andrew Leonard Cerasoli, 72, of Danbury, operating a 2021 Chevrolet Express, were both traveling southbound in the southbound lane of South Main Street at 12:25 pm September 6 when Pergely’s vehicle struck Cerasoli’s vehicle.

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

Pergely was issued a verbal warning for following too close.

Improper Turn

Newtown Police report James Cole, 61, of Danbury, operating a 2011 Honda Accord, was traveling in the designated straight lane on Church Hill Road near Queen Street at 1:05 pm September 8. Cole attempted to change lanes into the designated left turn lane and in doing so hit the vehicle of Kirsten Grady, 46, of Monroe, operating a 2020 Subaru Forester, that was traveling in the left turn lane.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

Cole was issued a verbal warning for making an improper turn.

Failure To Grant Right Of Way

Newtown Police report Heather Ann Murray, 37, of Newtown, operating a 2021 Ford Explorer, was exiting a commercial driveway at Riverside Road while Ashley Brundage, 39, of Newtown, operating a 2020 Jeep Cherokee, was traveling eastbound on Riverside Road at 9:05 am September 12. Murray’s vehicle entered the eastbound travel lane of Riverside Road when it was unsafe to do so, and the front bumper of Murray’s vehicle contacted the right rear side of Brundage’s vehicle. Murray stated that she thought Brundage’s vehicle was turning right into the parking lot due to an activated turn signal. Brundage stated that her signal was activated because she was turning right at the road just beyond the area of the accident.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

Murray was given a verbal warning for failure to grant the right of way at a private driveway.

Disobeyed Traffic Control Signal

Newtown Police report Todd Bolmer, 64, of Newtown, operating a 2023 Chevrolet Silverado, was traveling west on Glover Avenue and stopped at the traffic signal at the intersection of Main Street at 3:32 pm September 13. Bolmer’s vehicle was in the left turn lane. Michelle Davies, 32, of Newtown, operating a 2019 GMC Terrain, was traveling east on Sugar Street in the through lane of travel, and proceeded into the intersection of Main Street, intending to travel east on Glover Avenue. Bolmer’s vehicle had started turning left onto South Main Street and had a green turn arrow. Davies’s vehicle was behind two trucks and she could not see the red traffic control signal until she was in the middle of the intersection. Davies’s vehicle then made contact with Bolmer’s vehicle. Newtown Police also note that they observed the traffic control signal and that it was working properly.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

Davies was issued a verbal warning for failure to obey control signal.

Accident Still Under Investigation

Newtown Police report an unknown driver, operating a 2014 Ram was entering the parking lot of Mitchell Gas Station at Hawleyville Road as Claudia Crawford, 70, of Old Saybrook, operating a 2017 Nissan Altima, was backing from a marked parking stall in the parking lot at 9:18 am September 17. The rear passenger side bumper of Crawford’s vehicle made contact with the rear driver side bumper area of the unknown driver’s vehicle, causing damage to both vehicles.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

The accident is still under investigation.

Accident At Stop Sign

Newtown Police report Kim Jacob Danziger, 71, of Newtown, operating a 2023 Genesis Gv80, was traveling northbound on Key Rock Road and came to a stop for the stop sign at the intersection with Sugar Street at 4:27 pm September 18. Faith Rose Ohara, 22, of Newport, operating a 2010 Nissan Rogue, was traveling northbound on Key Rock Road and came to a stop behind Danziger’s vehicle. Due to the traffic on Sugar Street, Danziger’s vehicle moved up and stopped again. Ohara’s vehicle then moved forward and the front section of the vehicle made contact with the rear section of Danziger’s vehicle. Both Ohara’s and Danziger’s vehicle sustained paint transfer.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

Ohara was issued a written warning for failure to grant right of way at stop sign.

Traveling An Unreasonable Distance Apart

Newtown Police report Ciera Jaen Cash, 22, of Danbury, operating a 2007 Toyota Camry, was traveling westbound on Dodgingtown Road behind James Orzechowski, 65, of Newtown, operating a 2019 Tesla Model 3, when it came to a stop for stopped vehicles waiting to make a left turn onto Cemetery Road at 6:43 pm, September 18. However, Cash’s vehicle was unable to stop in time before its front end made contact with the rear end of Orzechowski’s vehicle. Cash’s vehicle sustained damage to the plate holder, while Orzechowski’s vehicle sustained paint transfer and an imprint of the license plate on its rear bumper.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

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

Sideswipe At Entrance Of School

Newtown Police report Catherine Greiner, 64, of New Preston, operating a 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe, was driving in the right hand lane through the entrance of Newtown High School at 5:10 pm September 19. As Greiner’s vehicle was driving through the entrance, it made a lane change into the left lane without yielding right of way to Lauren Murphy, 17, of Newtown, operating a 2010 Honda Fit, as it was occupying the left lane and sideswiped Murphy’s vehicle.

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

No warnings or reports were issued.

Crash Into Base Of Housatonic Railroad Bridge

Newtown Police report Donglin Jia, 41, of Farmington, operating a 2015 Toyota Cor, was traveling southbound on Botsford Hill Road and negotiating a right hand curve in the roadway when it left the southbound lane and crossed over the northbound lane at 8:26 pm September 19. The left front section of Jia’s vehicle then made contact with the cement Housatonic Railroad bridge base.

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

Jia was issued an infraction for failing to stay right on a curve.

Unoccupied Vehicle Crashes Into Private Property

Newtown Police report Charles Ryan, 65, of Trumbull, operating a 2019 Dodge Grand Caravan, was exiting a private driveway at Ridge Road 11:15 am September 20. Ryan stopped his vehicle at the end of the driveway when he opened the vehicle’s door to reach down and retrieve a newspaper on the ground while still inside the car. Ryan stated that his foot then slipped off the brake and accidentally pressed the gas pedal to cause acceleration. Ryan then fell from the moving vehicle and the vehicle continued to travel northbound unoccupied across Ridge Road and down a steep incline onto the front lawn of the property next door. The front of the vehicle crashed through fencing for the first area of contact and continued to travel northbound on the same front lawn. It then struck an exterior multi level deck attached to the residence for the final area of rest. No individuals were reported on the deck at the time of the collision.

Ryan was reported to have a suspected serious injury. His vehicle was also towed.

Ryan was issued an infraction for distracted driving.

Contested Three-Way Accident

Newtown Police report that Kevin McMahon, 70, of Bethel, operating a 2019 Lexus Gx Base, was stopped in traffic on Dodgingtown Road at the intersection of Cemetery Road at 3:52 pm September 21. McMahon stated that he was stopped waiting to make a left turn on Cemetery Road and that, while he was waiting, his vehicle was struck from behind by Estefhania Gonzalez-Moran, 28, of Danbury, operating a 2008 Honda CR-V. McMahon also stated that after Gonzalez-Moran’s vehicle struck his vehicle, that Yuliana Garcia, 21, of Danbury, operating a 2017 Honda Accord, struck Gonzalez-Moran’s vehicle.

Gonzalez-Moran, whose vehicle was traveling northbound on Dodgingtown Road, stated that, while she was traveling behind McMahon’s vehicle, McMahon suddenly applied his brakes and did not activate a turn signal. Gonzalez-Moran also stated that, due to McMahon’s vehicle stopping short in front of her, she was unable to stop in time to avoid a collision with McMahon’s vehicle.

Garcia was also traveling northbound on Dodgingtown Road and stated that, while traveling behind Gonzalez-Moran’s vehicle, which was traveling behind McMahon’s vehicle, McMahon applied his brakes quickly and stopped short. Garcia stated that, as a result, Gonzalez-Moran’s vehicle collided with McMahon’s vehicle. After Gonzalez-Moran’s vehicle collided with McMahon’s vehicle, Garcia says that she was unable to stop her vehicle in time to avoid a collision with Gonzalez-Moran’s vehicle and subsequently collided with it.

The front end of Garcia’s vehicle struck the rear end of Gonzalez-Moran’s vehicle, while the front end of Gonzalez-Moran’s vehicle struck the rear end of McMahon’s vehicle. McMahon’s vehicle sustained damage to its rear end and rear bumper, and its rear bumper was no longer seated flush against the right rear quarter panel. Gonzalez-Moran’s vehicle sustained damage to its front and rear end and was leaking automotive fluid. The airbags inside of Gonzalez-Moran’s vehicle deployed upon impact. Garcia’s vehicle sustained damage to its front end and was leaking automotive fluid.

The only reported injury was from a passenger in Gonzalez-Moran’s vehicle, who experienced chest discomfort after being struck by the airbag as it deployed and was transported to Danbury Hospital for further evaluation. Both Gonzalez-Moran’s and Garcia’s vehicles were towed.

After investigation, Newtown Police determined that Gonzalez-Moran and Garcia are at fault for the accident. They note that, upon asking Gonzalez-Moran if her vehicle was pushed into McMahon’s vehicle after being struck by Garcia’s vehicle, she claimed that she had struck McMahon’s vehicle independently and was then struck by Garcia’s vehicle. Both Gonzalez-Moran and Garcia were issued infractions for following too closely resulting in an accident.