Former Newtown Resident Arrested In Home Intrusion 

By Andrew Gorosko

SOUTHBURY — A Southbury man who shot and wounded a man accused of breaking into his house in the nighttime last November will not be prosecuted, but the alleged intruder, who is a former Newtown resident, is facing multiple charges in the case.

State police spokesman Lieutenant J. Paul Vance said April 30 that a review of the case by the Waterbury state’s attorney’s office resulted in the state deciding not to press charges against resident John Nagy of Berkshire Road, Southbury. Mr Nagy’s actions amounted to self-defense, so no charges will be filed against him, Lt Vance said.

On April 25, however, state police arrested Justin Alter, 22, of Sharon on warrants listing multiple charges, the lieutenant said. When the incident occurred last November 4, Alter’s last known address was Cypress Trail in the Riverside section of Sandy Hook.

State police arrested Alter on charges of second-degree criminal trespassing, evading responsibility, failure to have automotive insurance, driving an unregistered motor vehicle, improper use of a marker plate, making an improper turn, and second-degree failure to appear in court. The home intrusion followed a one-car motor vehicle accident in which Alter was the driver.

Alter surrendered to state police at the Troop A barracks, after which he was released on aggregate bail of $107,000. Of that amount, $100,000 of the bail is for the criminal trespassing charge.

Alter is scheduled to appear in Waterbury Superior Court on May 7 on the criminal trespassing and motor vehicle charges. He is slated to appear in Danbury Superior Court on May 5 on the failure to appear in court charge.

State police’s Troop A barracks in Southbury received a 911 telephone call shortly after 2 am last November 4 from Nagy, reporting that he had just encountered an intruder who had broken into his home. Nagy told state police the he believed he may have shot the intruder during the encounter.

After state police responded to the scene, Nagy told them that he had been awakened by noise in the basement, after which he went there armed with a weapon.

After Nagy encountered Alter in the basement, Alter moved toward Nagy, after which Nagy shot his gun in the direction of Alter and then left the basement to await the state police, according to Lt Vance. Nagy was not injured in the incident.

Nagy then told state police that he believed Alter was still in the basement.

State police searched the basement with a dog, after which they found Alter there suffering from a gunshot wound.

Ambulance staffers responded to the scene, provided emergency care and then transported Alter to Waterbury Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery for his serious gunshot wound and then recovered from his injury.

A police investigation showed that Alter had been driving a vehicle that was involved in a one-car accident on River Road in Southbury. After the accident, Alter left the scene on foot and walked for about 2,000 feet, after which he entered the basement and encountered Nagy, according to Lt Vance.