Evading Responsibility

Someone who was driving a motor vehicle damaged a roadside mailbox at 93 Birch Hill Road sometime between 6:30 pm November 7 and 9:30 am November 8. Police ask anyone with information about the property damage to contact them.

Route 302 Collision

Motorist Nancy Bonamico, 49, of 195 Sugar Street, who was driving a 1984 Mercedes-Benz 300-D westward on Route 302 at about 12:45 pm on November 8, stopped quickly at the direction of a pedestrian, who was aiding a trucker who was backing into the driveway of a residence, police said.

Westbound motorist Gregory Williams, 20, of 92 Head of Meadow Road, who was driving a 1996 Ford Taurus, then struck the Mercedes-Benz from behind, police said.

Bonamico was transported to Danbury Hospital for treatment of possible injuries, police said. Police issued Williams an infraction ticket for following too closely.

 

Intersection Crash

Police report a two-vehicle accident at the four-way intersection of Main Street, Sugar Street South Main Street, and Glover Avenue about 5 pm November 6.

Motorist Jacqueline Edel, 58, of Redding, who was driving a 2001 Dodge Durango northward on South Main Street, was then attempting to make a left turn onto westbound Sugar Street, police said.

At that time, motorist Tantsha Sterling, 23, of Bridgeport, who was driving a 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan, was traveling southward on Main Street, police said.

The two vehicles then collided in the intersection. There were no injuries. Police issued Edel a written warning for failure to grant the right of way. Police gave Sterling an infraction ticket for driving an unregistered vehicle.

SUV Vs SUV

An accident involving two sport-utility vehicles took place about 12:30 pm November 12 at the intersection of South Main Street and Country Club Road.

Involved in the crash were motorist Charles W. Wilson IV, 38, of New Milford, who was driving a 2001 Ford Explorer, and motorist David H. Bevan, 48, of New Fairfield, who was driving a 2003 Honda Pilot, police said.

There were no injuries. Police issued Wilson a written warning for failure to grant the right of way at a stop sign.

Church Hill Accident

Motorist Keith Hall, 26, of Shelton, who was driving a 2002 Honda Accord, was stopped in the eastbound lane of Church Hill Road and waiting to make a left turn into a driveway at about 2:30 pm November 11, when the Honda was struck from behind by motorist Rita Walsh, 78, of 2 Russett Road, who was driving a 1998 Toyota Corolla, police said.

Hall reported neck pain, but refused medical attention, police said. Police issued Walsh a written warning for traveling an unreasonable distance apart.

Warrant Served

Newtown police charged Leslie A. Russell, 55, of 53 Parmalee Hill Road on a state police warrant on November 13, listing a charge of criminal violation of a protective order. The charge stems from an October 9 incident at the Housatonic Meadows State Park campground in Sharon, Newtown police said. Newtown police transferred Russell into the custody of state police.

 

Chain Reaction

Police report a chain-reaction accident involving three vehicles in a line of traffic on eastbound Route 34, just west of its intersection with Toddy Hill Road at about 4:53 pm November 16.

Just after a traffic signal had turned from red to green, a 2003 Land Rover Freelander sport-utility vehicle driven by Theresa Cuadro, 60, of Monroe, hit the rear end of a 2003 Nissan Sentra driven by Larissa D. Lytwyn, 22, of 55-A Toddy Hill Road, pushing the Nissan into the rear end of a 2003 Mercedes-Benz ML-350 sport-utility vehicle driven by Jennifer Bechalany, 32, of Monroe, police said. The Nissan received heavy damage in the dual-impact collision, police said.

Lytwyn reported neck and hand injuries and was treated at the scene by the Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps, police said. Police issued Cuadro an infraction ticket for driving an unreasonable distance apart.

Drug Charges

Police pressed drug charges against two female students at Newtown High School on the afternoon of November 14, after they were found in possession of illicit substances.

School administrators investigated a complaint, which they then turned over to police for enforcement, police said. Police charged both Elaine McCafferty, 16, of 30 Honey Lane and a 15-year-old female each with possession of marijuana and with possession of drug paraphernalia. State law shields the identities of people under age 16 who are charged with crimes.

Police released both students for court appearances. McCafferty is scheduled to appear in Danbury Superior Court on December 4. The juvenile is slated to appear in Danbury Juvenile Court on December 1.

South Main Mishap

Motorist Albert Straniti, 29, of 1 Partridge Lane was driving a 2000 Honda Accord southward on South Main Street at about 8:19 pm November 14, when Straniti slowed to allow a cat to cross the street, police said. Southbound motorist Craig Zysk, 45, of Shelton, who driving a 2003 Chevrolet Malibu, then struck the Honda from behind, police said.

The Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps transported Irene Estrada, 26, of Danbury, who was a Honda passenger, to Danbury Hospital for treatment of neck pain, police said. Straniti also experienced neck pain, police said.

Police issued Zysk a written warning for following too closely.

Dodgingtown Damage

 Sometime between 8:30 pm November 14 and 1:45 am November 15, someone damaged a roadside mailbox at 75 Flat Swamp Road. Several other mailboxes in that area also have been damaged or are missing. It is unclear when that damage occurred, police said.

Police are investigating the vandalism and ask residents with knowledge of who committed the criminal mischief to contact them at 426-5841.

Academy Lane

Motorist Augustus Vacaro, 45, of 18 The Boulevard was driving a 1992 Honda Accord southward on Mt Pleasant Road behind an unidentified vehicle at about 3 pm November 14, police said. The unidentified vehicle stopped in preparing to make a left turn onto Academy Lane. The Honda then struck the unidentified vehicle from behind, but the unidentified vehicle made the left turn onto Academy Lane and kept traveling, police said. Vacaro was not injured. Police issued Vacaro a written warning for following too closely.

Hattertown Crash

Motorist Edward Reiske, 22, of Brookfield was driving a 1999 International truck northward on Hattertown Road at about 11:30 am November 14, as motorist Peter Lipusz, 28, of 11 Wildcat Road was driving a 1988 Mitsubishi pickup truck southward, police said. The International crossed over the road’s centerline and two vehicles collided, police said. There were no injuries. Police issued Reiske a written warning for failure to keep to the right on a curve.

Diner Incident

Police charged two Brookfield men early on the morning of November 16, following an incident at the Blue Colony Diner on Church Hill Road.

Police said they received a report of a disturbance at the eatery and went to investigate. Police charged Stephen Bologna, 22, with disorderly conduct for allegedly shouting and punching the diner’s manager in the chest. Police charged Andrew Buttendorf, 22, with creating a public disturbance for allegedly shouting obscenities in the diner.

Bologna is scheduled to appear in Danbury Superior Court on November 25. Police issued Buttendorf an infraction ticket.

Vandalism

Police are investigating a vandalism spree that occurred at residences on Sugar Street, near its intersection with Elm Drive, overnight on November 15–16. Several residences were the targets of vandals, police said. Damage included broken house windows and slashed automobile tires. Police are investigating the mayhem and ask anyone with information on the damage to contact them at 426-5841.

Durango Damaged

An unknown motorist damaged a white Dodge Durango sport-utility vehicle, while it was parked near the Just A Buck store at Sand Hill Plaza at 228 South Main Street sometime between 11:30 am and 12:30 pm November 16, police report. Police ask for help in learning the identity of the offending driver.

Limb Onto Ford

At about 3:33 pm November 13, motorist Norman Begin, 60, of Trumbull was driving a 1997 Ford Ranger pickup truck southward near 98 South Main Street, when a large tree limb fell during high winds and shattered the truck’s front windshield, police said.

Begin received facial cuts, according to police. Newtown ambulance staffers evaluated Begin at the accident scene, police said. Police took no enforcement.

I-84 DUI

State police report that they stopped motorist Sieglinde M. Dibner, 37, of Southbury for a motor vehicle violation on westbound Interstate 84 near Exit 10 at about 3:20 am November 15.

On investigating, state police charged Dibner with driving under the influence. Police released Dibner on a $500 bond for a November 24 court appearance.

Rear-Ender

Motorist Margaret Panniccia, 23, of 65 Toddy Hill Road, who was driving a 2000 Isuzu Amigo on westbound Interstate 84, about one mile east of Exit 9 at about 7:50 am November 14, slowed for traffic, and was struck from behind by motorist Kevin Campbell, 37, of Springfield, Mass., who was driving a 2002 Dodge Durango, state police said.

There were no injuries. State police said Campbell was following too closely.

DUI Charge

Police said they saw motorist Charles D. Hoffman, 57, of 26 Eden Hill Road driving erratically on Mt Pleasant Road about 8 pm November 17, so they stopped him to investigate. Hoffman failed a series of field sobriety tests, police said.

Police charged Hoffman with driving under the influence, failure to drive to the right, making an improper turn, and interfering with police.

After processing his arrest, police said they released Hoffman on a $100 bond for a December 2 appearance in Danbury Superior Court.

Moving Violations

Police report they charged Juan N. Castro, 27, of Danbury with four moving violations on November 17. Police charged Castro with misuse of marker plates, driving an unregistered vehicle, driving a vehicle without automotive insurance, and driving without a driver’s license. Police released Castro on a $1,000 bond for a December 2 appearance in Danbury Superior Court.

DUI

Police said they spotted motorist Lawrence Pouliot, 39, of Plainville sleeping in a vehicle on Taunton Lake Road about 3 pm November 16. Police said Pouliot refused to take sobriety tests, after which they charged him with driving under the influence. Police released Pouliot on a $100 bond for a December 2 appearance in Danbury Superior Court.

Main Street Deer

Motorist Kathleen Menz, 56, of 34 Plumtrees Road was driving a 2000 Pontiac Sunfire northward on Main Street about 7:18 am November 10, when she encountered and collided with a deer in the road, police report. The impact damaged the auto’s roof and windshield. Menz was not injured, police said.

Hundred Acres

Motorist Muriel Wielebinski, 41, of 41 Hundred Acres Road was driving a 2001 Honda station wagon westward on Hundred Acres Road about 10:30 pm November 5, when she collided with a deer near 6 Hundred Acres Road, police said. Wielebinski was not injured, police said.

Altercation

Police said they charged Philip Braun, 45, of Brookfield with breach of peace about 1:48 pm November 18, following an altercation at Braun Moving Inc at 46 Barnabas Road in Hawleyville.

Braun became involved in a verbal confrontation with an employee of P&G Sanitation of 38 Barnabas Road concerning refuse removal at the moving company’s premises, police said. During the course of the confrontation, Braun allegedly slapped the P&G worker in the face, police said.

Police released Braun on a $100 bond for a December 2 appearance in Danbury Superior Court to answer the charge.

Botsford Collision

A two-vehicle accident occurred at the intersection of Swamp Road and South Main Street in Botsford, near the Monroe town line, about 10:45 am November 12.

Motorist Zhaneta Musaka, 32, of 63 Capitol Drive, who was driving a 1991 Mercedes-Benz 300 sedan westward on Swamp Road, stopped at a stop sign at that road’s intersection with South Main Street, police said. The Mercedes then turned left onto southbound South Main Street, but collided with a southbound 1999 Audi A-4 driven by Virginia VanDeWeerdt, 35, of 16 Beechwood Drive, police said.

There were no injuries. Police issued Musaka a written warning for failure to grant the right of way at an intersection.

   

MV Violation

Police report that they stopped motorist John Fein, 59, of 9 Sugar Street at about 9:14 am November 18 on Dodgingtown Road and investigated, after which they charged him with driving while under suspension. Police released Fein from custody on a promise to appear in court December 2 to answer the charge.

Route 34 Accident

A two-car accident happened on Route 34, near Chestnut Hill Road, at about 2:42 pm November 18.

Eastbound motorist Scott Brier, 48, of 104 Head O’ Meadow Road, who was driving a Mazda Miata MX-5 convertible, stopped for a road repair crew that was doing work in the area and was struck from behind by motorist Evan Tinder, 43, of New Haven, who was driving a 2000 Hyundai Accent, police said.

There were no injuries. Police issued Tinder an infraction ticket for failure to drive a reasonable distance apart.

Dodgingtown Accident

Police report a two-vehicle accident in the center of Dodgingtown about 4:12 pm November 18.

Motorist Sara Weir, 50, of Danbury was driving a 2001 Saab 95 westward on Route 302, near Jacklin Road, and then stopped for traffic at the intersection of the two roads, police said.

Westbound motorist Philippe Pirotte, 37, of Brookfield, who was driving a 1992 Nissan pickup truck behind the Saab, could not stop in time, so he swerved to the right, police said. The Nissan went onto a very steep embankment and then rolled onto its left side, striking the Saab, police said.

There were no injuries. Police issued Pirotte a written warning for traveling too fast for conditions.