Four-Vehicle Crash

Police report a four-vehicle chain-reaction accident on northbound South Main Street near Laurel Road about 6 pm December 28.

Police said motorist Karen Hansell, 45, of Brookfield was driving

a 2001 Subaru Legacy, when, as she approached a line of stopped and slowing traffic, she sneezed, resulting in the Subaru striking the rear end of a 1990 Chevrolet Blazer driven by Jeffrey T. Hoffman, 31, of New Milford.

The impact of that collision pushed the Chevrolet into the rear end of a 1993 BMW 325-I sedan driven by Carol A. Ploch-Maiolo, 46, of Ridgefield, causing the BMW to be pushed into the rear end of a 1998 Nissan Pathfinder driven by Richard C. Lynn, 43 of 1 Shadow Ridge Circle, police said.

The Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps transported Hansell and Lynn to Danbury Hospital to be checked out for pain complaints. The corps treated Hoffman and Ploch-Maiolo at the scene. Newtown Hook and Ladder firemen went to the scene to clean up spilled automotive fluids. All four vehicles were towed away.

Police issued Hansell a written warning for following too closely.

South Main Crash

Police report motorist Daniel A. Gerlich, 22, of Monroe was driving northbound on South Main Street about 3:30 pm January 1 when he struck the rear end of another vehicle.

Police said they charged Gerlich with driving at an unsafe distance, operating a motor vehicle while under suspension, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Police said Gerlich is scheduled to appear January 17 in Danbury Superior Court to answer the charges.

DUI Rollover

Police said motorist Robert S. Dixon, 33, of Oxford was driving a 1996 Ford Bronco sport-utility vehicle southbound on Walnut Tree Hill Road about 500 feet north of its intersection with Church Hill Road about 1:01 am on January 1 when the Ford hit a snow bank, climbed an embankment, and rolled over, coming to rest across the road.

Neither Dixon nor passenger Sue Ann Segneri, 26, of 16 Sweet Briar Lane, were injured in the accident, police said.

Police said Dixon failed field sobriety tests and was charged with driving under the influence and making an improper turn. Police released Dixon on bond for a January 18 appearance in Danbury Superior Court.

Westport Youths Charged

State police said they charged six Westport youths with illegal possession of alcohol by a minor about 2:40 am December 30 on Route 25 in Hawleyville, near Exit 9 of Interstate 84.

State police said they stopped a vehicle for erratic operation and gave its driver, Mark C. Johnson, 19, of Westport field sobriety tests, which he passed.

In investigating the case, state police said they found a large amount of beer and liquor in the vehicle.

Police charged all six Westport youths inside the vehicle with illegal possession of alcohol by a minor.

Charged were: Johnson; Kathrine A. Meacham, 17; Carolin Sudorquist, 17; Ryan McCarthy, 19; Michael P. Dougherty, 19; and Lindsay Pryde, 18.

All six were transported to the state police Troop A barracks in Southbury for processing. The six are scheduled to appear January 8 in Danbury Superior Court to answer the charges.

Tractor-Trailer

State police report an accident between a minivan and a tractor-trailer truck on westbound Interstate 84 near Exit 9 about 11:20 am December 29.

State police said motorist Gerald E. Sacks, 47, of Brookline, Mass., was driving a 1996 Dodge Caravan minivan carrying five passengers in the center lane of three lanes, while tractor-trailer truck driver Paul J. Haynes, 32, of Coventry, R.I., was traveling in the right lane.

The truck changed lanes and struck the minivan, state police said. There were no injuries. State police said Haynes made an unsafe lane change.

Two Charged

Police said they charged two Danbury residents early on the morning of January 4 after they stopped an auto that one of them was driving on Queen Street.

Police said they stopped motorist Robert R. McKinstry, Jr, 42, to investigate a motor vehicle violation and learned that his driver’s license had been suspended. Police charged him with operating a motor vehicle while under suspension and released him for a January 19 appearance in Danbury Superior Court.

 McKinstry’s wife, Robin McKinstry, 41, was a passenger in the auto, police said. A computerized records check indicated that she was wanted by the Fairfield Police Department on a charge of issuing a bad check, police said. Newtown police turned over Robin McKinstry to Fairfield police.

Two-Vehicle Accident

Police report a two-vehicle accident on Mt Pleasant Road about 1 pm December 31.

Police said motorist Barbara J. Webb, 47, of 8 Susan Lane, was driving a 1996 Mazda MPV-LX sport-utility vehicle westbound, while motorist F.J. Tyszka, 53, of Trumbull was driving a 1997 Toyota RAV-4 sport-utility vehicle eastbound.

While rounding a curve, the Mazda went out of control on ice and snow, crossed into the opposite lane, and collided with the Toyota, police said.

Police said Webb received knee injuries in the collision.

Police said ambulance staffers transported F.J. Tyszka and two passengers, his wife Shirley Tyszka, 44, and his daughter Courtney Tyszka, 20, to Danbury Hospital for treatment of various injuries.

Police said they issued Webb a written warning for failure to drive to the right on a curve.