Too Fast For Conditions

Newtown Police report Sharon Jones, 31, of Derby, was traveling westbound on Berkshire Road near Old Mill Road at 10:06 am January 1. The vehicle left the travel portion of the roadway as it was negotiating a curve, traveling over the double yellow center line into the eastbound lane and onto the eastbound shoulder. The vehicle struck a rock off the eastbound shoulder.

No injuries were reported. The vehicle was towed due to disabling damage.

Jones was issued a verbal warning for traveling too fast for conditions.

Struck Utility Pole

Newtown Police report Allen Steele, 38, of Ansonia, operating a 2020 Isuzu NPR HD owned by Pepsi Co, was traveling northbound on South Main Street in the area of Button Shop Road at 6:03 am January 5.

Steele crossed the centerline and the truck struck a utility pole on the southbound shoulder of the roadway. The vehicle came to a stop in the southbound lane of travel.

Steele was transported to Bridgeport Hospital. The vehicle was towed due to disabling damage.

Steele was issued a verbal warning for traveling too fast for conditions.

Slid On Ice, Struck Rock

Newtown Police report Giulanna Drew, 24, of Newtown, operating a 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt, was traveling northbound on Pine Tree Hill Road at 6:52 am January 5. While negotiating a left hand curve in the roadway, Drew’s vehicle began to slide on the ice-covered roadway. The vehicle slid off the roadway and onto the northbound shoulder, hitting the northbound curbing, then striking a rock. Drew’s vehicle spun around and came to rest in the northbound lane, facing southbound.

Drew was treated and released at the scene by Newtown EMS. Drew’s vehicle sustained damage to both front tires and the left front section, and was towed.

Drew was given a verbal warning for traveling too fast for conditions.

Lost Control On Ice

Newtown Police report Gabriela Kalinowski, 26, of Newtown, operating a 2010 Toyota Corolla, was traveling southbound on Main Street toward the intersection with Sugar Street at 7:08 am January 5. Kalinowski attempted to make a right turn onto Sugar Street. She lost control of her vehicle on the ice-covered roadway and continued sliding in a southwest direction onto Sugar Street, crossing the center line of the roadway and crossing both eastbound travel lanes. The driver’s side front bumper and front end of the vehicle struck the metal beam guardrail on the eastbound shoulder of Sugar Street.

No injuries were reported.

One Car Hit Three Times

Newtown Police report James Burger, 27, of Redding, operating a 2014 Honda CR-V LX, was traveling eastbound on Sugar Street in the eastbound lane at 7:32 am January 5. Burger attempted to pass a 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500/3500 operated by Franco Cabrera-Silva, 34, of Bethel, that had pulled off the road onto the eastbound shoulder to park due to icy conditions. As Burger passed, his vehicle began to slide on the icy roadway surface; the passenger side of his vehicle struck the driver’s side rear bumper and driver’s side of Cabrera-Silva’s vehicle. Burger continued straight and pulled off ahead of Cabrera-Silva’s vehicle.

Christopher Symes, 38, of Newtown, operating a 2018 Ram 3500 ST, was traveling eastbound on Sugar Street in the eastbound lane and attempted to avoid Cabrera-Silva’s vehicle, but began to slide on the icy roadway; the plow blade affixed to the front end of his vehicle struck the driver’s side rear end of Cabrera-Silva’s vehicle. Symes continued straight and pulled off ahead of Burger’s vehicle.

Martha Santamaria-Perez, 45, of Danbury, operating a 2016 Toyota RAV4 LE, was traveling eastbound on Sugar Street in the eastbound lane and attempted to avoid Cabrera-Silva’s vehicle, but began to slide on the icy roadway. The front end of Santamaria-Perez’s vehicle struck the driver’s side rear end of Cabrera-Silva’s vehicle.

No injuries were reported.

Pickup Hits Two Cars, Flees Scene

Newtown Police report that Joshua Rose, 28, of Bethel, operating a 2016 Subaru Impreza, was traveling westbound on Schoolhouse Hill Road at 7:45 am January 5. Rose’s vehicle lost traction due to the icy roadway and weather conditions, eventually coming to a stop on the downhill. Alisha Mulder, 45, of Cross River, N.Y., operating a 2019 Nissan Murano, was traveling behind Rose, lost traction on the icy roadway and avoided Rose’s vehicle, slid and stopped past Rose’s vehicle.

An unidentified third vehicle came around the right curve of the roadway, losing traction and spun around. The vehicle slid backwards on the downhill, striking Rose’s vehicle and pushing it to the side of the roadway. The vehicle continued to spin after the first collision and struck Mulder’s vehicle, which was pushed into a driveway. The vehicle continued down the hill, leaving the scene.

Rose and Mulder described the unidentified vehicle as a white pickup truck with a construction workbed. No identifying decals or registration plate were observed. There were no witnesses on scene.

No injuries were reported.

Hit Utility Pole

Newtown Police report Emilio Masella, 33, of Middlebury, operating a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado K1500, was traveling westbound on Schoolhouse Hill Road, negotiating the downhill curve right, at 7:45 am January 5. Due to icy conditions, Masella’s vehicle lost traction going around the curve and began to slide across the roadway. Masella’s vehicle struck a utility pole on the roadside.

No injuries were reported.

No enforcement action was taken.

Slid Past Stop Sign On Ice

Newtown Police report Peter Barone, 49, of East Haven, operating a 2017 Hyundai Sonata, was traveling eastbound on Sycamore Drive in the area of Huntingtown Road at 7:47 am January 5. Barone lost control of his vehicle on icy road conditions and slid down the hill of Sycamore Drive and traveled through a stop sign at the intersection on Sycamore Drive and Huntingtown Road. Barone’s vehicle crossed through the northbound and southbound travel lanes of Huntingtown Road and the front and rear right side of the vehicle struck a guardrail on the shoulder.

No enforcement action was taken.

Struck Mailbox

Newtown Police report Patricia Fabunan, 50, of Newtown, operating a 2019 Subaru WRX Premium, was traveling westbound on Plumtrees Road at 7:49 am January 5.

Fabunan told police she hit a patch of ice and lost control of her vehicle. The vehicle went across the center line and struck a mailbox off the eastbound shoulder of the roadway.

No injuries were reported.

Fabunan was issued a verbal warning for failure to drive in the right-hand lane,

Slid Into Car On Ice

Newtown Police report Kamil Akhtar, 55, of Monroe, operating a 2006 Toyota Camry LE, was traveling westbound in the area of Botsford Hill Road and High Bridge Road at 7:52 am January 5. Annamaria Moses, 62, of Sandy Hook, operating a 2015 Subaru Impreza Sport Limited, was traveling westbound in the area of Botsford Hill Road and High Bridge Road, ahead of Akhtar’s vehicle. Akhtar lost control of his vehicle due to slick road conditions, causing the front of his vehicle to strike the rear of Moses’ vehicle.

No injuries were reported.

Akhtar was given a verbal warning for following too closely.

Flipped Car

Newtown Police report Suzanne Douglas, 50, of Sandy Hook, operating a 2014 Honda CR-V LX, was traveling southbound on Great Quarter Road at 8:24 am January 5. The vehicle drove off the right side of the road, up an embankment and flipped over onto its left side.

No injuries were reported.

Douglas received a verbal warning for making a restricted turn.

Car Pushed Off Road

Newtown Police report Shanika Williams, 30, of Mt Vernon, N.Y., operating a 2007 Toyota Camry, was traveling southbound on High Rock Road at 8:53 am January 5. Williams was traveling behind a 2018 Ford Escape operated by Timothy Primrose, 40, of Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Primrose proceeded slowly down a slight decline due to icy road conditions, and Williams’ vehicle slid forward on the ice, causing the front end of the vehicle to strike the rear end of Primrose’s vehicle. The impact pushed Primrose’s vehicle off the roadway and the front end of his vehicle struck a utility pole.

No injuries were reported.

Williams was issued a verbal warning for following too close.

Spun On Ice

Newtown Police report Kynia O’Brien, 34, of Newtown, operating a 2013 Honda Civic, was traveling northbound on Huntingtown Road in the area of Meadow Brook Road at 9:05 am January 5. O’Brien lost control of her vehicle in the icy road conditions and spun around. The left corner of her vehicle struck curbing off the road and shoulder northbound on the corner of Huntingtown Road and Meadow Brook Road, with the vehicle coming to rest facing southbound.

No injuries were reported. The vehicle was towed due to extensive damage.

No enforcement action was taken.

Failure To Grant Right-Of-Way

Newtown Police report Vijayalakshmi Rajasekaran, 44, of Sandy Hook, operating a 2016 Toyota RAV4, was traveling southbound on Queen Street and stopped at the stop sign at the intersection of Mile Hill Road at 7:58 am January 6. Anthony Raiani, 55, of Newtown, was traveling westbound on Mile Hill Road.

Rajasekaran pulled out in front of Raiani’s vehicle, causing a collision.

No injuries were reported.

Rajasekaran was given a verbal warning for failure to grant right-of-way at a stop sign.

Fender Bender At CVS

Newtown Police report Diann Patterson, 70, of Newtown, operating a 2007 Mazda Miata, pulled out from a parking space in front of CVS while Erin Burns, 21, of Sandy Hook, operating a 2019 Honda Accord LX, was pulling down the aisle in the lot at 12:49 pm January 6. Patterson’s vehicle struck the left side of Burns’ vehicle.

No injuries were reported.

Crash And DUI

Newtown Police report Scott Bartley, 40, of Cromwell, operating a 2000 Jeep Cherokee, was traveling southbound on Toddy Hill Road, passing Turkey Hill Road, at 6:06 pm January 7. Bartley’s vehicle crossed over the double yellow lines of the roadway into the oncoming lane of traffic, and continued off the northbound shoulder, striking a guardrail. The vehicle continued off the guardrail, crossing back over the double yellow lines to come to rest off the road in the snow, on the southbound side of the road.

No injuries were reported. The vehicle was towed.

Bartley was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and failure to keep right. He was released on a promise to appear with a court date of January 27 at Danbury Superior Court.

Arrested For DUI

Newtown Police report Tiffany Lowe, 41, of Newtown, was arrested at 6:19 pm January 8 on the charges of illegal operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs and illegal operation of a motor vehicle while under suspension. She was released on a promise to appear with a court date of January 25.

Collision In Intersection

Newtown Police report Dylan Salgado, 18, of Oxford, operating a 2015 Nissan Rogue, was traveling westbound on Wasserman Way at 1:04 pm January 9. Alice Unschuld, 69, of Sandy Hook, operating a 2012 Honda Civic LX, was traveling eastbound on Wasserman Way. Salgado attempted to turn left on Trades Lane as Unschuld entered the intersection. The front of Unschuld’s vehicle made contact with the passenger side of Salgado’s vehicle, pushing Salgado’s vehicle off the eastbound shoulder and into a crosswalk signal post.

Both vehicles were towed from the scene. EMS responded for minor injuries.

Salgado was issued an infraction for failure to grant right of way while making a left turn.

Arrested On Charges Of Evading Responsibility

Newtown Police report that at 6:30 pm January 10, Reynaldo Contreras, 46, of Clintondale, N.Y., turned himself in on an arrest warrant stemming from an accident that occurred on October 22.

Contreras was charged with evading responsibility, failure to obey signs and markings, failure to obey a traffic signal, operating an unregistered motor vehicle, and failure to drive a reasonable distance apart. He was released on a $2,000 cash bond with a court date of January 26 in Danbury Superior Court.

Following Too Closely

Newtown Police report Jake Hockley, 17, of Newtown, operating a 2011 Mazda CX-9 AWD, was traveling southbound on South Main Street at 5:04 pm January 11. He came to a stop behind a 2015 Subaru Forrester operated by Monique Lawlor, 26, of Patterson, N.Y. Both drivers were waiting to turn left onto Pecks Lane. After stopping behind Lawlor, Hockley drove forward and struck the rear of Lawlor’s vehicle.

Hockley was issued a verbal warning for following too closely.