Asleep at Wheel

State police said that at about 3:20 am on September 15, motorist Jonathan Pichette, 18, of Boca Raton, Fla., who was driving a 2007 Mazda 6 sedan eastward on Interstate 84 about one-half mile east of Exit 10, fell asleep at the wheel and then struck some metal guardrailing along the left road shoulder.

Pichette was not injured. State police said they issued him an infraction for failure to maintain the travel lane.

Botsford Crash

Police report a vehicular accident at the hazardous intersection of South Main Street and Swamp Road about 7:35 am on September 13.

Motorist Mary Murphy, 23, of Brookfield, who was driving a 1997 Honda Civic coupe, had been traveling westward on Swamp Road and then stopped at a stop sign at its intersection with South Main Street, according to police.

At that time, motorist John Hinrichsen, 41, of Bridgeport, who was driving a 2000 Ford F-250 truck, was traveling northward on South Main Street, police said.

When the Honda then attempted to turn left onto southbound South Main Street, the Honda and the Ford collided, according to police.

Murphy reported soreness; no ambulance transport was made, police said.

Police said they issued Murphy an infraction for failure to grant the right of way at a stop sign after making a stop.

Palestine Road

Police report that motorist Bruce Reynolds, 64, of 16 Palestine Road, who was driving a 1999 Jeep Cherokee SUV, was exiting his driveway about 9:50 am on September 7, as motorist Jack Fong, 71, of 2 West Farm Ridge Road was driving a 2007 Subaru Outback SUV southward on Palestine Road.

The two vehicles collided. There were no injuries. Police said they issued Reynolds a written warning for failure to grant the right of way.

Three Vehicles

A three-vehicle chain-reaction accident occurred on South Main Street at its intersection with Button Shop Road about 12:10 pm on September 8, police report.

In that incident, motorist Megan Ey, 20, of Bloomingburg, N.Y., who was driving a 1991 Jeep Cherokee SUV on South Main Street, stopped for a red traffic signal, police said.

Motorist Brenda Thomason, 76, of Milford, who was driving a 2005 Nissan Altima sedan, then stopped behind the Jeep, police said.

Motorist John Shepherd, 67, of Easton, who was driving a 2001 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck that was hauling a trailer, then struck the rear end of the Nissan, pushing the Nissan into the rear end of the Jeep, police said.

There were no injuries. Police said they issued Shepherd an infraction for traveling an unreasonable distance apart.

Volvo Vs Ford

Police report that at about 5:15 pm on September 10, motorist Carolyn Dufner, 52, of 21 Diamond Drive was driving a 2011 Ford Fusion sedan southward on Main Street, as motorist Saba Quraishi-Fiala, 49, of 49 Main Street, who was driving a 2010 Volvo XC-90 SUV, was backing out of her driveway.

The two vehicles collided. There were no injuries. Police said they issued Quraishi-Fiala a written warning for unsafe backing.

DUI Charge

Police report that on the afternoon of September 12, they arrested Angel Ruiz, 30, of Waterbury at the Newtown police station on a warrant, charging Ruiz with driving under the influence in connection with an incident on June 12.

After processing the case, police released Ruiz on $500 bail for a September 26 appearance in Danbury Superior Court.

Drug Charges

Police said that at about 7:30 pm on September 14, an undercover police officer on surveillance duty at Sand Hill Plaza at 228 South Main Street saw an illegal drug sale occur.

With the aid of their German shepherd police dog and its handler, police interviewed two people who were the subject of the investigation, police said.

Police said they issued Vanessa Lynn Fulton, 24, of Bridgeport a misdemeanor summons, charging her with the sale of less than one-half ounce of marijuana. Police report they released her on $500 bail for an October 2 court appearance.

Also, police said they issued an unidentified male an infraction on a charge of possession of less than one-half ounce of marijuana. Such infractions carry fines that are payable by mail or may be appealed in court.

 

DUI Case

Police report that at about 1:35 am on September 15, they encountered a vehicle that had pulled off the road on the northbound shoulder of South Main Street, north of its intersection with Botsford Hill Road. The vehicle had become hung-up atop some curbing, police said.

After investigating, police charged motorist Virginia Maiocco-Cabeleira, 49, of 65 Turkey Hill Road with driving under the influence, possession of less than one-half ounce of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Police report that after processing, they released her on $100 bail for an October 2 court appearance.

GMC Vs VW

A two-vehicle accident occurred on eastbound Berkshire Road, near its intersection with Wasserman Way, about 5 pm on September 11.

In that incident, a GMC Sierra pickup truck driven by Michael Sanko, 51, of Shelton struck the rear end of a Volkswagen Jetta sedan driven by Alyson Blanck, 49, of Orange, according to police.

There were no injuries. After investigating, police charged Sanko with following too closely, driving an unregistered vehicle, and failure to carry an automotive insurance identification card.

 

Bryan Lane

At about 5:23 pm on September 12, Jean Jasmin, 36, of Newburgh, N.Y., who was driving a 2012 Freightliner tractor-trailer truck southward near 18 Bryan Lane, attempted to turn around, but while backing up the trailer went off the road, striking some shrubs and a tee at 18 Bryan Lane, damaging that property there, police said.

There were no injuries. Jasmin received a written warning for unsafe backing, police said.

Off The Road

While negotiating a curve in the road on eastbound Button Shop Road about 3:16 am on September 12, motorist Anna Lewis, 30, of 4 Shepaug Road, who was driving a 2000 Nissan Maxima sedan carrying one passenger, went off the right side of the street and went partially down an embankment, striking a tree, police report.

There were no injuries. Police said they issued Lewis an infraction for making a restricted turn.

Berkshire Crash

Police report a two-vehicle accident about 9:21 am on September 16 near 25 Berkshire Road.

Motorist Frank Buckler, 68, of Chesterfield, Mo., who was driving a 2010 Honda CRV SUV, was making a left turn to exit a commercial parking lot at 25 Berkshire Road and head southward on Berkshire Road, police said.

Buckler, however, did not see motorist Nicholas Gerbo, 17, of 7-A Jeremiah Road, who was driving a 1999 Subaru Forester SUV southward on Berkshire Road, police said.

The two vehicles collided. There were no injuries. Police said they issued Buckler a written warning for failure to grant the right of way.

Sandy Hook Accident

At about 4:24 pm on September 10, a two-vehicle accident happened near 40 Berkshire Road.

Police said that eastbound motorist David Cutler, 55, of Clinton, who was driving a 1997 Kia Sophia four-door vehicle, struck the rear end of an eastbound 2009 Lincoln MKX SUV driven by Andrea Trager, 51, of 49 Charter Ridge Drive.

There were no injuries. Police report they issued Cutler a misdemeanor summons on charges of failure to drive a reasonable distance apart, misuse of marker plates, failure to have automotive insurance, and driving an unregistered vehicle.

Main Street Impact

A two-vehicle collision took place near 33 Main Street about 6:18 pm on September 14, according to police. Both vehicles were traveling northward when the accident occurred.

In the incident, motorist Diana Sclafani, 31, of Brookfield, who was driving a 2011 Nissan Rogue SUV, struck the rear end of a 2002 Subaru Impreza station wagon driven by Matthew Pruner, 18, of 60 Old Hawleyville Road, police said.

There were no injuries. Police issued Sclafani a written warning for following too closely.

Moving Violations

Police report that they stopped motorist Adrian Harris, 25, of Bridgeport to investigate at about 12:12 pm on September 12 near the intersection of Wasserman Way and Oakview Road.

Police said they charged Harris with driving with a defective windshield, following too closely, and driving with a suspended license.

Harris was released on a written promise to appear in court on September 25, police said.

Three-Car Crash

State police report a three-car accident on eastbound Interstate 84 near the town line at Hawleyville at about 5:12 pm on September 13.

Motorist David Fortier, 28, of Southington, who was driving a 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-300, slowed for traffic conditions, state police said. Motorist Renee Foster, 29, of Naugatuck, who was driving a 2010 Honda Civic, slowed behind the Mercedes, state police said. Motorist Noel Kaiser, 53, of Naugatuck, who was driving a 2007 Saturn Vue, then struck the rear end of the Honda, pushing the Honda into the rear end of the Mercedes, state police said.

There were no injuries. State police said they verbally warned Kaiser for following too closely.

 

Fallen Branch

At about 5:50 pm on September 18, motorist Linda O’Sullivan, 48, of 10 Farmery Lane was driving a 2005 Honda CRV SUV northward near 5 Pole Bridge Road, when a tree branch fell and struck the vehicle’s front windshield and hood, damaging the vehicle, police report.

O’Sullivan was not injured. Police took no enforcement.

Evading Responsibility

Police report they received a call informing them that a motor vehicle accident had occurred at the intersection of Mile Hill Road South and Nunnawauk Road at about 5:14 pm on September 17 and that one of the drivers involved had left the scene of the crash.

A 28-year-old local man told police that his vehicle was struck by a man who was driving a red Chevrolet pickup truck, after which the truck’s driver drove away from the accident scene.

Police said they located the truck a short distance away and then attempted to stop it, but the male driver refused to stop.

Police said they then pursued the driver for a short distance, but then stopped the chase because it posed a significant risk to the public.

The fleeing driver’s identity was later confirmed as that of a 75-year-old Wolcott man whom police said they plan to arrest on a warrant listing multiple motor vehicle charges.

 

Mercedes Off Road

Police report that about 3:40 pm on September 15, motorist Marijo Smith-Foody, 64, of Newton, N.J., who was driving a 1998 Mercedes-Benz 320 station wagon on Berkshire Road, attempted to make a turn onto Jordan Hill Road, but struck a stop sign and some metal guardrailing, after which the vehicle went off the road and down an embankment.

Police said Smith-Foody was transported for hospital treatment of injuries. Police said they issued her a written warning for failure to drive to the right.

South Main Street

A two-vehicle accident occurred in front of 79 South Main Street at about 12:11 pm on September 13.

Police said that motorist Karen Blawie, 55, of 42 Walnut Tree Hill Road was driving a 2008 Toyota Prius northward on South Main Street, as motorist Emily Eisenberg, 19, of Westport, who was driving a 2003 Volkswagen Passat, was preparing to make a left turn onto southbound South Main Street from a commercial driveway.

The Volkswagen attempted to make the turn and then the two vehicles collided, police said.

Police said the Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps transported Blawie to Danbury Hospital on a report of pain.

Police said they issued Eisenberg an unspecified motor vehicle infraction.

Hawleyville Accident

Police report that motorist Rakesh Vali, 44, of Seymour, who was driving a 2001 Toyota Sequoia SUV eastward on Mt Pleasant Road, stopped at a red traffic signal at that street’s intersection with Hawleyville Road at about 6 pm on September 12.

Eastbound motorist Julia Wasserman, 88, of 113 Walnut Tree Hill Road, who was driving a 2011 Volkswagen Tiguan SUV, then struck the rear end of the Toyota, police said.

There were no injuries. Police said they verbally warned Wasserman for failure to drive a reasonable distance apart.