NHS Drug Arrest

After some school officials at Newtown High School found a male student there to be in possession of marijuana late on the afternoon of February 12, they contacted police, according to police.

Police said that after investigating, they charged the unidentified student with possession of less than four ounces of marijuana and also with illegal possession of tobacco by a person under age 18.

Following arrest processing, police released the boy from custody on a written promise to appear in Danbury Youthful Offender Court on February 27. Youthful offenders are either 16 or 17 years old.

State law shields the identities of people under age 18 who are charged with crimes.

Vandalism

Police report that sometime between 2 pm on Saturday, February 7, and 6:30 am on Monday, February 9, someone intentionally damaged a curbside mailbox at 40 Echo Valley Road. The site is near Echo Valley Road’s intersection with Albert’s Hill Road. Police are investigating the criminal mischief and ask anyone with information on the crime to contact Officer John McCluskey at 426-5841.

DUI Incident

Police report that at about 8:45 am on February 13, motorist Heidi T. Gorman, 47, of 18 Old Green Road was driving a 2001 Kia Sephia sedan eastward near 51 High Bridge Road, near the Monroe town line, when the auto crossed the road’s center line while negotiating a curve in the road and then struck a utility pole. Gorman was not injured, police said.

After investigating, police charged Gorman with driving under the influence, making a restricted turn, and failure to carry an automotive insurance identification card.

Following processing, police released Gorman on $100 bail for a February 27 appearance in Danbury Superior Court to answer the charges.

DUI Warrant

Police report that at about 8 pm on February 13, they arrested Kenneth Chatlos, 46, of Trumbull on an outstanding warrant, charging him with four offenses in connection with a November 9 motor vehicle accident on Toddy Hill Road.

Chatlos was arrested on charges of driving under the influence, reckless driving, making a restricted turn, and interfering with police.

In that early morning accident last fall, Chatlos was driving a 1997 Ford Ranger pickup truck southward on Toddy Hill Road, near its intersection with Button Shop Road, when the vehicle went off the left side of the road, climbed up an embankment, struck a boulder and then rolled down back onto the street, according to police. Chatlos and a passenger both were transported to Danbury Hospital for treatment of injuries after the accident.

Following arrest processing on February 13, police released Chatlos on $5,000 bail for a February 27 court appearance.

Lone Oak Meadows

Motorist Eric Egdahl, 22, of 33 Fawnwood Road was driving a 2000 Buick LeSabre sedan on Lone Oak Meadows Road about 2:50 pm February 12, when motorist Madeline Graham, 17, of 2 Lone Oak Meadows Road, who was driving a 1995 Volvo 850 sedan, exited her driveway onto that street, police said.

The Buick then swerved to avoid colliding with the Volvo, but the Buick struck a curbside residential mailbox, police said.

There were no injuries. Police said they issued Graham a written warning for failure to grant the right of way.

Jeep Crash

Motorist Bruce Monroe, 44, of Bethel was driving a 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV eastward on Interstate 84, east of Exit 11, on the afternoon of February 14, when he lost control of the vehicle and then struck some adjacent metal guard cabling, damaging more than 300 feet of cabling, state police said. Monroe was not injured, state police said.

Highway Collision

On the afternoon of February 12, Eliezer Ruiz-Pacheco, 20, of Danbury, who was driving a commercial 2008 Dodge Ram pickup truck westward on Interstate 84, near Exit 9, saw an unknown vehicle enter his lane in front of him, causing Ruiz-Pacheco to take evasive action and steer to the left, state police said.

In making that maneuver, the Dodge collided with some metal guard cabling. Ruiz-Pacheco received some minor injuries, said state police, who took no enforcement action.

BMW Vs Freightliner

On the afternoon of February 11, motorist Melissa Meager, 53, of Wilton was driving a 2001 BMW 325-I westward in the left lane of Interstate 84, west of Exit 9, as trucker Douglas Eskuchen, 60, of Philadelphia was driving a commercial 2004 Freightliner Z-3 truck westward in the adjacent right lane, state police said.

The two vehicles then came into contact with one another. There were no injuries. State police said that fault for the collision could not be determined.

Sugar Street

Motorist Elian Wilhelmsson, 39, of 17 Old Green Road was driving a 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan eastward on Sugar Street, west of Sugar Street’s intersection with Sugar Hill Road, about 9 pm February 16, when the auto collided with a deer, police said. Wilhelmsson was not injured, police said.

Car Vs Tree

About 4:20 pm February 17, motorist Eric Channey, 46, of 160 Mt Pleasant Road was driving a 1990 Ford Mustang westward near 109 Castle Hill Road, when while negotiating a curve in the road, the auto went out of control, crossed the road’s centerline, entered the opposite lane and then went off the eastbound side of the street, striking a tree, police said.

Channey was not injured, police said. Police said they issued him an infraction ticket for making a restricted turn.

Pickup Vs Minivan

Motorist George Collins, 50, of 2 Melody Lane, who was driving a 1999 Pontiac Montana minivan southward, stopped in preparing to make a left turn into the northern driveway of the Friendly Citgo gas station at 151 South Main Street about 2:23 pm February 17, police report.

Southbound motorist Rochelle Campanelli, 47, of Oxford, who was driving a 1998 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck, then struck the rear end of the Pontiac, police said.

Ambulance volunteers went to the scene to check Campanelli, but she declined medical treatment, police said. Police said they issued Campanelli a written warning for following too closely.

Multiple Charges

Police report they arrested a local man this week on multiple charges in connection with a two-vehicle accident that occurred last October on Underhill Road in the Riverside section of Sandy Hook.

On February 18, police charged Joseph A. Gargano III, 35, of 1 Copper Creek Circle, Riverview Condominiums, on a warrant with evading responsibility, failure to grant one-half of the highway, driving while under suspension, and failure to notify the state of a change of address regarding a driver’s license and a vehicle registration.

Police said Gargano was driving a 1996 Chevrolet northward on Underhill Road about 6:11 pm October 17, as a local woman was driving a 2003 Kia southward there. Gargano crossed the road’s centerline, sideswiped the Kia, and then left the scene of the collision, police said.

The woman reported pain after the accident and was transported for hospital treatment, police said.

An ensuing investigation into the accident resulted in police obtaining a court warrant for Gargano’s arrest. After arrest processing on February 18, police released Gargano on $250 bail for a March 3 appearance before a judge in Danbury Superior Court.