SUV Hits Pickup

Police report that at about 5:30 pm February 11, motorist Carolynn Belazsi, 30, of Seymour, who was driving a 2009 Ford Ranger pickup truck eastward near 52 Church Hill Road, stopped for traffic conditions, after which the Ford was hit from behind by eastbound motorist David Ruscoe, 55, of 3 Steck Drive, who was driving a 2006 Mercury Mariner SUV.

There were no injuries. Police verbally warned Ruscoe for following too closely.

Computer Gear

Sometime during February 18, someone left a piece of computer equipment at a home on Fox Run Lane after that gear apparently had been serviced or repaired, police said.

It appears that the equipment was mistakenly left at the home, police said. The owner of the equipment should contact Sergeant Darlene Froehlich at the police station at 3 Main Street, telephone 426-5841, to claim the item.

Multiple Vehicles

State police report a multiple-vehicle crash on Interstate 84 during very icy conditions on the night of February 19.

Four vehicles were involved in the multiple-impact crash that occurred about 9 pm on eastbound I-84 near Exit 9.

The chain-reaction accident involved vehicles spinning about and hitting each other multiple times. The incident caused several other minor accidents to occur nearby, according to state police. There were no injuries.

The initial accident involved motorist Devon Pernice, 26, of Brookfield, who was driving a 2007 Scion; motorist Alan Denslow, 74, of Watertown, who was driving a 2000 Dodge Stratus; motorist Kevin Friedman, 44, of 151 Berkshire Road, who was driving a 1995 Saturn SW-1; and motorist Taheisha Williams, 28, of New York City, who was driving a 1991 Toyota Camry, state police said.

Icy Highway

About 9:44 pm February 19, motorist Tanisha Burney, 35, of Rahway, N.J., who was driving a 2004 Nissan Murano SUV eastward on an icy Interstate 84, east of Exit 9, slowed for a collision that had occurred up ahead, state police said.

Eastbound motorist Stephen Sullivan, 68, of 9 Tanglewood Lane, who was driving a 2005 GMC Sierra pickup truck, then attempted to stop, but slid into the rear end of Nissan, police said.

Burney and two of the four passengers in the Nissan complained of minor injuries, after which Newtown volunteer ambulance staffers transported the trio to Danbury Hospital, police said. Firefighters responded to the crash scene.

Dangerous Curve

Police report a two-vehicle collision about 7:30 am February 20 at the dangerous sharp curve where the Housatonic Railroad’s rail bridge crosses above Botsford Hill Road.

Motorist Michele Cravatta, 58, of 16 Kaechele Drive was driving a 1998 Volvo S-70 sedan, while motorist Craig Ferris, 58, of 3 Orange Pippin Road was driving a 2008 Toyota 4-Runner SUV, police said.

The two vehicles approached the railroad bridge from opposite directions, police said. The Volvo entered the opposite lane, colliding with the Toyota, police said.

There were no injuries. Police issued Cravatta a written warning for failure to drive to the right on a curve.

Church Hill Collision

A two-vehicle collision occurred on Church Hill Road at the westbound ramps for Interstate 84 about 8:10 am February 20.

Motorist Manasi Oak, 47, of Watertown, who was driving a 1999 Honda Odyssey minivan, was making a right turn onto Church Hill Road, but then stopped for traffic conditions, after which the Honda was hit from behind by motorist Linda Garrett, 58, of Shelton, who was driving a 2004 Buick Century sedan, police said.

There were no injuries. Police issued Garrett a written warning for failure to drive a reasonable distance apart.

Sandy Hook Collision

About 6:42 pm February 20, motorist Lisa Postleb, 24, of New Fairfield, who was driving a 2004 Toyota Corolla sedan eastward on Church Hill Road, near Dayton Street, stopped for traffic conditions, and was struck from behind by eastbound motorist Shaun Piccirillo, 22, of 18 Sunnyview Terrace, who was driving a 1997 Dodge Neon sedan, police report.

There were no injuries. Police said they issued Piccirillo a written warning for traveling an unreasonable distance apart.

Sideswipe Crash

About 7:15 pm February 20, motorist Augustin Cirino, Jr, 21, of Hamden was driving a 1995 Honda Accord coupe westward on Berkshire Road, near its intersection with Gray's Plain Road, as motorist Gabriel Bordoy, 27, of 27 South Main Street was driving a 1999 Subaru Forester SUV eastward on Berkshire Road, police report.

The Honda crossed into the opposite travel lane and sideswiped the Subaru, after which the Honda continued traveling westward, leaving the scene of the collision, according to police. There were no injuries.

Police said they later found Cirino in Danbury, after which they arrested him on charges of evading responsibility and passing in a no-passing zone.

Following arrest processing, police released Cirino on $250 bail for a March 4 court appearance.

DUI Arrest

Police report that at about 10 pm February 20, they stopped motorist Jeffrey Gargiulo, 18, of Patterson, N.Y., who was traveling on Washington Avenue in Sandy Hook, because his vehicle had a headlamp that was not working.

After investigating, police arrested Gargiulo on charges of driving under the influence, possession of alcohol by a minor, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and failure to have a working headlamp.

Additionally, police charged a passenger in the vehicle with possession of alcohol by a minor and with possession of drug paraphernalia. Police listed the passenger as a "youthful offender," meaning that he or she is either 16 or 17 years old. State law shields the identity of people under age 18 charged with such offenses.

After arrest processing, police released Gargiulo on $200 bail for a March 6 appearance in Danbury Superior Court. Police released the passenger on $100 bail for a March 6 appearance in Danbury Youthful Offender Court.

I-84 Crash

About 10:39 pm February 20, motorist Ramon Grillasca, 57, of Enfield was driving a 2009 Nissan Altima on Interstate 84, when the auto drifted onto the median, after which Grillasca turned to the right, but then hit the metal-beam guardrails along the right road shoulder, state police report.

Both Grillasca and a passenger refused medical attention, state police said. State police issued Grillasca written warning for failure to stay in the established travel lane.

Infiniti Vs Dog

Motorist Rui Santos, 38, of Danbury was driving a 2008 Infiniti sedan on Swamp Road, near South Main Street, on February 21, when the auto collided with a dog, police said.

Police said the dog’s owner was present when the collision occurred. The dog, which was injured by the impact, was later euthanized, police said.

Police said they issued Santos a written warning for failure to report the injury or death of a dog caused by a motor vehicle. Police said they issued the dog’s owner a written warning for allowing a dog to roam.

Into The Rails

About 11:27 am February 21, motorist Chevron Rickets, 50, was driving a 2002 Toyota Camry eastward on Interstate 84, west of the Exit 11 interchange, when Rickets fell asleep at the wheel, causing the auto to go out of control and then strike metal-beam guardrailing on the median, state police said. Rickets was not injured.

Car Vs Pole

Motorist Gwendolyn Segarro, 21, of 68 Georges Hill Road was driving a 1995 Honda Accord station wagon eastward near 140 Mt Pleasant Road about 1:49 am February 22, when she lost control of the auto while negotiating an unexpected curve in the roadway, police said.

The auto went off the left side of the street and then struck a curbside mailbox and a utility pole, police said.

Segarro told police that she was uninjured, but police had ambulance volunteers check her at the scene due to the intensity of the impact. Passenger Miguel Castillo, 20, of Bridgeport told police that he was uninjured. Both vehicle occupants had been wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash, police report.

Police issued Segarro a written warning for traveling too fast for conditions.

South Main Crash

About 12:13 pm February 23, motorist Carl Georgi, 55, of 73 Cedar Hill Road, who was driving a 2002 Kia Spectra sedan, was attempting to turn left from Ricky’s Shopping Plaza at 76 South Main Street onto southbound South Main Street, as motorist Ryan Smith, 26, of Woodbury was driving a 2009 Ford E-250 van southward on South Main Street, police report.

The two vehicles collided. Ambulance volunteers treated Smith at the scene, police said. Newtown Hook & Ladder firefighters went to the accident.

Police said they issued Georgi an infraction for failure to grant the right of way. Police verbally warned Smith for failure to renew a driver’s license.

NHS Drugs

Police report that at about 7:35 am February 24, a Newtown High School security guard stopped a 17-year-old male student there for allegedly stealing a bottle of water from the school cafeteria.

The boy was then found to be in possession of some prescription medication which was not his medication, police said.

Police charged the boy with sixth-degree larceny and with illegal possession of prescription medication.

Because the boy is under age 18, his identity is shielded from public disclosure by state law.

Police released the boy from custody on a written promise to appear March 6 in Danbury Youthful Offender Court.

Southbound Crash

Police report a two-vehicle collision near 228 South Main Street about 7:30 pm February 24.

Motorist Nathaniel Vernet, 21, of Bridgeport was driving a 2001 Volkswagen Passat sedan southward, as was motorist Christy Buda, 34, of Trumbull, who was driving a 2004 Toyota RAV-4 SUV, police said.

The two southbound vehicles collided in an area where the road expands from one southbound lane to two southbound lanes, police report.

There were no injuries. Police said they verbally warned Vernet for passing on the right.

DUI Arrest

Police said that at about 12:10 am February 25, motorist Marian Massi, 45, of Southbury, who was driving a vehicle eastward on Wasserman Way, entered the westbound lane, after which they stopped her to investigate.

Police said they charged Massi with driving under the influence and with failure to drive to the right.

Following processing, police released Massi on $100 bail for a March 11 court appearance.