Berkshire DUI

Police report that at about 6:30 pm on April 23, they stopped motorist Darrin Butler, 31, of Derby near 25 Berkshire Road to investigate.

After investigating, police said they charged Butler with driving under the influence and with failure to drive in the proper lane. Following arrest processing, police released Butler on $85 bail for a May 2 court appearance.

SUV Hits Pickup

At about 4:09 pm on April 22, motorist Luis Clemente Gualan-Contento, 32, of Danbury, who was driving a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck eastward on Berkshire Road, near Homer Clark Lane, stopped for traffic conditions, after which the Chevrolet was struck from behind by an eastbound 2015 Nissan Rogue SUV driven by Maria Costas-Daly, 62, of Windsor, police report.

There were no injuries. Police verbally warned Costas-Daly for failure to drive a reasonable distance apart.

Interstate DUI

State police said they stopped motorist Hannah Soares Alves, 23, of Ansonia, after having spotted her driving erratically about 1:39 am on April 21 on eastbound Interstate 84, near Exit 10.

After investigating, state police charged her with driving under the influence and with failure to drive in the proper lane. Following arrest processing, Alves was released on $500 nonsurety bail for a May 1 court appearance.

Multiple Impacts

Police report that motorist George Geanuracos, 54, of Newtown, who was driving a 1968 Ford Mustang about 6:09 pm on April 21, made some circular tire skid marks, known as “donuts” in the parking lot at Ricky’s Shopping Center at 71 South Main Street, after which he drove out of the parking lot and turned left, heading southward on South Main Street.

Geanuracos then did a “tire burnout” on the street, and then the auto began “fishtailing” with its rear end moving from side to side, after which the auto went out of control. The Ford drove off the right road shoulder, struck some curbing, smashed into a utility pole, and then hit a fire hydrant.

The Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps transported Geanuracos to Danbury Hospital for treatment of moderate injuries. Enforcement action is pending.

DUI/Crash

At about 7:41 pm on April 21, motorist Americo Teixeira, 24, of Danbury, was driving 2010 Volkswagen GTI westward on Birch Hill Road, after which he entered its intersection with Taunton Hill Road but did not stop at the stop sign there, driving through the junction and crashing into a tree, police report.

There were no injuries. Police arrested Teixeira on charges of driving under the influence and failure to obey a stop sign. Following arrest processing, Teixeira was released for a May 2 court appearance.

Three Charged

Police report that late on the morning of April 20, they charged three residents of the Lakeview Terrace neighborhood near Lake Zoar each with disorderly conduct, following a verbal dispute involving real estate in that area.

Police said they charged Mark Saksa, 58, with the misdemeanor. Also, police charged Allen Isabelle, 58, and Denise Renda, 52, both of whom reside at a property that abuts Saksa’s property.

The incident that prompted the charges stems from a long-running dispute between the neighbors concerning real estate rights, which has resulted in many police responses to the area, police said. Police released all three people on written promises to appear in court on May 2.

DUI Arrest

Police report they responded to the Mile Hill Road area, near South Main Street, to investigate at about 11:36 am on April 20, after which they charged Evan Fuchs, 20, of Newtown, with driving under the influence, evading responsibility, and making an improper turn.

Police said the vehicle driven by Fuchs had been involved in an accident near Exit 11 of Interstate 84, after which Fuchs continued driving until the vehicle broke down on Mile Hill Road. After processing the arrest, police released Fuchs on $100 bail for a May 2 appearance in Connecticut Superior Court in Danbury.

Mercury Crash

Motorist Jeffrey Holman, 62, of Springfield, Mass., was driving a 2009 Mercury Grand Marquis sedan westward on Interstate 84, about 1,000 feet east of the Exit 9 off-ramp, about 4:19 pm on April 20, when he lost control of the auto, veered to the right, struck some concrete barrier rails, and then came to rest against a metallic guardrail, state police said.

Holman received a suspected minor injury. State police issued him an infraction for failure to maintain the travel lane.

Asleep At Wheel

State police report that motorist Irtaz Hayat, 41, of New Milford, who was driving a 2008 Nissan Altima eastward on Interstate 84, near Exit 11, at about 2:26 am on April 19, fell asleep at the wheel, lost control of the auto, and then struck some metallic gurdrailing.

Hayat refused medical attention. State police said he failed to maintain the proper lane and was driving an unregistered vehicle.

DUI Charge

Police said they received a report about an erratic driver traveling in the area near the intersection of Berkshire Road and Zoar Road at about 7:47 pm on April 19, after which they went to the area to investigate.

Police said they spotted the vehicle in question and stopped it on the Exit 11 on-ramp of Interstate 84. Police charged motorist Kevin Swendsen, 36, of Honesdale, Penn., with driving under the influence, failure to drive in the proper lane, and possession of a controlled substance. After processing, Swendsen was released on $1,000 bail for a May 2 court appearance.

Missed Court

Police said that after they informed her that they held a warrant for her arrest, Leslie Lucero, 23, of Bridgeport, went to the police station about 10:14 pm on April 18, after which they served the warrant against her, charging her with second-degree failure to appear in court.

Newtown police on November 7, 2018, had charged Lucero with traveling unreasonably fast and with driving while under suspension. She has pleaded not guilty to both charges. But after Lucero missed a scheduled court appearance, a judge on January 14 issued a warrant for Lucero’s arrest on the court appearance charge.

After arrest processing, police released Lucero on $500 bail for a May 2 court appearance.

Arrested On Warrant

Police report that on the morning of April 17, they traveled to the Northford section of North Branford to find Paul Longo, 33, of Northford, to whom they served an arrest warrant, charging Longo with violation of probation.

The charge stems from a past incident in which police caught Longo stealing copper items from buildings at Fairfield Hills, police said. Police had arrested Longo in October 2013, and he was sentenced in February 2015 on a third-degree burglary conviction.

Police held Longo on $5,000 bail for his April 17 arraignment in Connecticut Superior Court in Danbury. Longo, who is represented by a public defender, pleaded not guilty in court. A judge released Longo on a written promise to appear in court on May 14.

DUI Incident

State police said that at about 1:07 am on April 16, they received a report concerning a motorist who was driving the wrong way on westbound Interstate 84, west of Rochambeau Bridge, so they went to the area to investigate.

State police located wrong-way driver Krzystof Skowronski, 52, of Norwalk, and stopped him to investigate. All four violations that state police charged Skowronski with occurred within an active construction zone, so the charges against the man are intensified, with heavier penalties possible.

State police arrested Skowronski on charges of driving under the influence, driving the wrong way, reckless driving, and failure to drive in the proper lane. Following booking on the charges, state police released Skowronski on $2,500 non-surety bail for an April 25 court appearance.

Warrant Executed

Police said they went to the home of Richard Pettit, 46, of Newtown, on the evening of April 14 to serve an arrest warrant against him.

Police charged Pettit with second-degree failure to appear in court. On November 13, 2018, a judge issued that court appearance warrant in connection with Newtown police having charged Pettit on October 9, 2018 with driving while under suspension. Pettit has not pleaded to the October charge.

After arrest processing on April 18, police released Pettit on $500 bail for a May 2 appearance in Connecticut Superior Court in Danbury.

BMW Into Ditch

Motorist Todd Cocchia, 51, of Bethel, was driving a 2004 BMW 330-CI auto westward on Hattertown Road, near the Monroe town line, about 8:30 pm on April 8, when the vehicle drove off the right road shoulder, struck some wooden guardposts, and then traveled down a slope and landed at the bottom of a ditch, police said.

There were no injuries. Police issued Cocchia a written warning for failure to drive in the proper lane.