High School Theft

Police report they charged a 14-year-old girl student at Newtown High School with sixth-degree larceny on the afternoon of December 7, after an investigation determined that she had stolen $54 from another student’s purse.

Following arrest processing, police released the girl into the custody of her mother for a December 18 appearance in Danbury Juvenile Court. State law shields the identities of people under age 18 who are charged with crimes.

Five Offenses

Police said they spotted motorist Delma Medina, 31, of Waterbury driving a vehicle without a front marker plate on Mile Hill Road about 8:30 am December 8, so they stopped her to investigate.

Police charged Medina with driving a vehicle without a front marker plate, driving without a license, misuse of a marker plate, driving without automotive insurance, and driving with a suspended vehicle registration.

Police later released Medina on $100 bail for a December 19 court appearance.

 

Marijuana

About 10:30 pm December 9, police stopped motorist Robert Raino, 19, of 10 Bridle Path Trail on Church Hill Road for driving a vehicle without a front marker plate.

Police said they had their German shepherd sniff the exterior of the vehicle that Raino was driving, after which the dog indicated the presence of drugs within the auto.

Police said they then found a bag of marijuana inside the vehicle. Police charged Raino with failure to display a front marker plate and with possession of less than four ounces of marijuana.

Raino was released on a written promise to appear in court on January 4.

Criminal Charges

Police said that on the night of December 8, they charged Scott W. Gilbert-Tainter, 38, of 40 Black Bridge Road with first-degree criminal trespassing, criminal violation of a protective order, and interfering with police. Police said the charges stemmed from a preceding incident of domestic violence.

Police held Gilbert-Tainter on $250,000 bail for a December 11 court arraignment.

Police had charged Gilbert-Tainter on December 5 with disorderly conduct and with interfering with an emergency telephone call. Also, they had charged him on December 6 with criminal violation of a protective order and with first-degree criminal trespassing.

Gilbert-Tainter was being held this week on $250,000 bail at the Bridgeport Correctional Center, according to the state Department of Correction.

DUI Arrest

Police said that early on the morning of December 10 they spotted motorist Bradley Anderson, 25, of Oxford swerving over the road’s centerline while driving on South Main Street near Sand Hill Plaza, so they pulled him over to investigate.

Police then charged Anderson with driving under the influence and with failure to drive to the right. After processing the case, police released Anderson on $100 bail for arraignment on December 21 in Danbury Superior Court.

High School Altercation

Midday on December 7, police charged Jeffrey Peterson, 18, of 7 Bridge End Farm Lane with disorderly conduct at Newtown High School, after he became involved in a verbal altercation with school administrators there. After processing, police released Peterson on a written promise to appear December 21 in Danbury Superior Court.

SUV Vs Truck

About 1:23 pm December 9, motorist Vezir Kazaferi, 43, of Trumbull, who was driving a 2002 Chevrolet K-3500 dump truck northward near 151 South Main Street, slowed for traffic conditions and was struck from behind by northbound motorist Richard McIntyre, 51, of Sugar Lane, who was driving a 2001 Nissan Pathfinder sport-utility vehicle, police report.

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

Juvenile Charged

On December 8, police charged a youth under age 16 with disorderly conduct in connection with an unspecified incident. Details were not available. The youth was released on a written promise to appear December 11 in Danbury Juvenile Court. State law shields the identities of people under age 18 who are arrested on criminal charges.

Breach of Peace

On December 10, police arrested a 15-year-old youth on a charge of second-degree breach of peace. Details on the case were not available. The youth was released from police custody on a written promise to appear in Danbury Juvenile Court on December 18. The identities of people under age 18 who are charged with crimes are shielded from disclosure by state law.

Stratford Man

About 3:35 pm on December 8, police stopped motorist Brian Petruccelli, 30, of Stratford on Main Street to investigate.

Following an investigation, police charged Petruccelli with making a restricted turn, driving with a suspended license, possession of narcotics, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Police later released Petruccelli on $300 bail for a December 21 court appearance.

 

I-84 Crash

About 3:23 pm December 6, motorist April Schettino, 26, of New Milford, who was driving a 1998 Chevrolet Blazer on the Exit 11 on-ramp of westbound Interstate 84, made an evasive maneuver and lost control of the vehicle, colliding with guardrailing along the ramp’s left road shoulder, state police said.

The accident occurred in the area where the combined westbound and eastbound Exit 11 ramps fork into separate directions.

Schettino was not injured. State police warned her for failure to stay in the established lane.

Moving Violations

On December 10, police said they charged motorist Robert Martinez, 27, of 4 Valley View Road with speeding and with driving while under suspension. Police said they stopped Martinez about 7 pm on Route 302. After processing the case, police released Martinez from custody for a January 4 appearance in Danbury Superior Court.

Backing Up

On December 4, motorist Betsy Cassella, 51, of 9 Thunder Ridge Road, who was driving a 2002 Ford Escape sport-utility vehicle, stopped at a stop sign on High Bridge Road and was waiting for traffic to clear so she could turn onto Botsford Hill Road, police said.

The Ford started to pull out onto Botsford Hill Road, but then backed up due to traffic conditions, inadvertently backing into the front end of a 2001 Honda Odyssey minivan driven by Nancy Smerekanicz, 42, of Southbury, police said. There were no injuries.

Cassella received a written warning for unsafe backing.

Pickup Vs Minivan

About 11:25 am November 27, motorist Patricia Ferris, 43, of 329 Berkshire Road, who was driving a 2001 Dodge Caravan minivan eastward on Berkshire Road, had stopped and was waiting to turn into a driveway near that address, when the Dodge was struck from behind by eastbound motorist Joseph Natale, 62, of Rock Tavern, N.Y., who was driving a 1996 Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck, police said.

Kuncha Natale, 57, of Rock Tavern, N.Y., who was a pickup truck passenger, was transported by ambulance volunteers to Danbury Hospital for a medical evaluation, police said. Police issued Joseph Natale an infraction ticket for failure to drive a reasonable distance apart.

Cold Spring Accident

Police report a two-vehicle accident at the hazardous intersection of Cold Spring Road and South Main Street about 1:09 pm December 2.

Motorist Robert Becker, 48, of 38-A Hundred Acres Road, who was driving a 1997 Ford Ranger pickup truck, was stopped and waiting at stop sign, after which he moved forward to enter South Main Street, police said. Becker then backed up due to oncoming traffic, resulting in the rear end of the Ford colliding with the front end of a 1997 Pontiac Bonneville driven by Ryan Nezvesky, 25, of 9 Old Town Road, police said.

There were no injuries. Police verbally warned Becker for unsafe backing.

 

Acura Vs Jeep

Westbound motorist Charles Shepard, Jr, 52, of 39 Cricket Trail, who was driving a 1993 Jeep Cherokee near 40 Church Hill Road about 5:23 pm November 27, stopped for a police officer’s signal, police said.

Westbound motorist Alexandra Standish, 20, of 64 Riverside Road, who was driving a 1992 Acura Integra coupe, then struck the Jeep from behind, police said. Standish received an infraction ticket for following too closely.

Subaru Hits Pole

About 1:29 pm December 2, motorist Stephen Hermes, 22, of Bethel, who was driving a 2001 Subaru Forester northward near 71 Hattertown Road, veered off the right side of the road and struck a utility pole, police report.

Hermes received minor injuries and refused medical attention, according to police. Hermes received an infraction ticket for making an improper turn.

 

DUI Arrest

Police arrested a local woman on seven charges on the night of December 10, following a motor vehicle incident on Mount Pleasant Road.

Police said they stopped motorist Nancy Savarese, 52, of 3 Martin Street for speeding on Mount Pleasant Road about 9 pm. While they were attempting to bring Savarese’s vehicle to a stop, the vehicle crossed the road’s center line, causing an oncoming vehicle to run off the road, police said.

After Savarese stopped her vehicle, she backed up and almost struck a police car, police said.

Police gave Savarese field sobriety tests, after which they charged her with risk of injury to a minor, driving under the influence, speeding, a travel lane violation, failure to have working tail lamps, driving an unregistered vehicle, and reckless driving.

Savarese was charged with risk of injury to a minor because she had a minor as a passenger in her vehicle, police said. The incident did not involve any contact between vehicles or any injuries, police said.

After arrest processing, Savarese was sent to Danbury Hospital for treatment, police said.

Savarese is free on $100 bail pending a January 4 arraignment in Danbury Superior Court, police said.

Two MV Charges

Police said they stopped motorist Paulo Narciso, 36, of Bridgeport on the night of December 12 on Route 25 to investigate after the vehicle that Narciso was driving had crossed over the road’s center line and shoulder line.

Police charged Narciso with a lane violation and with driving while under suspension. Police released Narciso on $100 bail for a January 4 court appearance.

Youthful Offenders

Police said they arrested two Newtown High School students on the afternoon of December 12, after they became involved in a fight after school.

The physical altercation resulted in police arresting a 16-year-old boy on a charge of third-degree assault. Police also arrested a 17-year-old girl on a charge of disorderly conduct.

The boy was released into the custody of his father. The girl was released into the custody of her mother.

Both are scheduled to appear January 5 in Danbury Youthful Offender Court. The identities of people under age 18 who are charged with crimes are shielded from disclosure by state law.

Route 34 Crash

Police report a two-vehicle collision on westbound Route 34 about 7 am December 12.

In the accident which occurred in heavy traffic, a westbound 2002 Subaru Outback driven by Robert Sekelsky, 43, of Milford, drove into the rear end of a westbound 2006 Chevrolet Equinox driven by Brian Darcy, 25, of North Haven, police said.

Darcy and a passenger in the Chevrolet reported soreness, but declined medical attention, police said. Police issued Sekelsky an infarction for failure to drive a reasonable distance apart.

Truck Into Mailbox

About 4:45 pm December 7, Mary Presnell, 47, of Danbury was driving a 2007 International Harvester truck northward on South Main Street, when the vehicle collided with a residential mailbox along the right side of the road at 333 South Main Street, police said.

Police said that Presnell was not experienced in driving that type of vehicle. There were no injuries, Police verbally warned Presnell for making a restricted turn.