Big Knife in School

On the morning March 11, Newtown High School administrators found a 14-year-old girl at the school to be in possession of a large carving knife which is typically used in kitchens, police said. The girl was searched after school administrators had received a report that she possessed the knife, police said. Police said the girl did not threaten anyone with the knife.

Police said they charged the youth with carrying a dangerous weapon, after which she was released into the custody of her parents. Police did not disclose the youth’s identity because she is under age 16. The girl is scheduled to appear March 29 in Danbury Juvenile Court to answer the charge.

Plymouth Off Road

Motorist Elaine Lahey, 33, of 26 Hi Barlow Road was driving a 1998 Plymouth sedan southward on Hattertown Road, near its intersection with Poverty Hollow Road, at about 9 pm March 5, when the Plymouth went off the road and struck an earthen embankment, police report.

The Dodge then caught on fire and Newtown Hook and Ladder firefighters extinguished it, police said. Lahey was not injured. Police issued Lahey an infraction ticket for failure to obey a stop sign.

Pond Brook Road

Motorist Michael Skiba, 19, of 3 Dinglebrook Lane was driving a 1996 Buick sedan southward on Pond Brook Road at about 9:20 am March 10, and was negotiating a right curve with limited sightlines, as northbound motorist Christine Taylor, 35, of Terryville, who was driving a 1986 GMC van, also was negotiating that curve from the opposite direction, police said.

The vehicles collided. There were no injuries. Police verbally warned Skiba for traveling too fast for conditions.

Grand Cherokee

Motorist Alexander Read, 16, of 38 Obtuse Road, who was driving a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee sport-utility vehicle northward on Boggs Hill Road at about 3 pm March 10, was negotiating a curve in the road and then lost control of the vehicle, sliding off the left side of the street, police report. Read was not injured. Police verbally warned him for traveling unreasonably fast.

Warrant Arrest

After learning that police held a warrant for his arrest, Michael Rossini, 24, of Bethel turned himself over to them at the police station on the afternoon of March 13 and was charged with second degree harassment.

Police said the charge stems from Rossini allegedly having made a harassing telephone call on January 1. After processing the case, police released Rossini on a $100 bond for a March 30 appearance in Danbury Superior Court.

Butterfield DUI

Police report that motorist Brandon Jossick, 23, of 40 Turkey Hill Terrace, who was driving a 2003 Volkswagen Jetta at about 10 pm March 12, was involved in a one-vehicle accident near 77 Butterfield Road. The auto carried three teenage passengers, police said.

Police said that in their investigation of the crash, Jossick failed field sobriety testing. Police charged Jossick with driving under the influence and with making an improper turn.

After processing Jossick’s arrest, police released him on $60 bail for a March 25 appearance before a judge in Danbury Superior Court.

Thunderbird Crash

While driving a 1997 Ford Thunderbird coupe northward on Berkshire Road, near Berkshire Motors, at about 11 am on March 10, motorist Jonathan Butler, 17, of 78 Waterview Drive lost control of the Ford and went off the right side of the road, crashing into an embankment and into a parked 1997 Plymouth Voyager minivan, police report. Butler was not injured.

Police issued Butler an infraction ticket for making a restricted turn.

Off-Ramp Collision

Motorist Ali Rizvi, 39, of Fishkill, N.Y., who was driving a 1992 Honda Prelude on the Exit 11 off-ramp of Interstate 84 on March 10, struck the rear end of a 2003 Nissan Frontier pickup truck driven by Keith Glover, 43, of Orange, police said. At the time of the crash, the Nissan was stopped at the end of the ramp and was waiting to enter Wasserman Way, police said.

There were no injuries. Police said they issued Rizvi a warning for traveling at an unsafe distance.

Three-Car Accident

A three-vehicle accident occurred on eastbound Route 34 in Sandy Hook at about 11:30 am on March 10, police report. There were no injuries.

Motorist Antonio Pictrandrea, 63, of Hamden, who was driving a 2002 Mercury Grand Marquis sedan, had stopped for a motorist who was ahead of him and waiting for oncoming traffic to clear in order to make a left turn onto Pole Bridge Road, police said.

Motorist Randy Chamberland, 43, of Shelton, who was driving a 1996 Volvo 850, then stopped behind the Mercury, police said.

Motorist Richard Norris, 37, of Bethel, who was driving a 1997 Volkswagen Golf, then smashed into the rear end of the Volvo, pushing the Volvo into the rear end of the Mercury, police said.

Police issued Norris an infraction ticket for following too closely.

Ford Into Barrier

Motorist Michael Keller, 41, of Southbury, who was driving a 1987 Ford Ranger pickup truck eastward on Interstate 84, about 500 feet west of Exit 11, at about 11:30 am March 10, was driving in the right lane, when he was cut off by a another motorist, state police said. Keller then turned sharply to the right and crashed into guard cabling, state police said. There were no injuries.

Rock Off Truck

At about 4:30 pm March 10, motorist William Joyce, 34, of 12 Shepard Hill Road was driving a 1976 Mack dump truck westward on Interstate 84, east of Exit 11, state police said. The truck then lost a large rock from its dumper section, state police said.

Motorist Francis Peters, 33, of Ashford, who was driving a 2001 Chevrolet sedan, then collided with the large fallen rock, state police said. The Chevrolet then went out of control and sideswiped a tractor-trailer truck driven by Ronald Berry, 49, of Strawberry Plains, Tenn., state police said.

There were no injuries. State police said they took enforcement against Joyce and Peters.

Cordless Telephone

On the afternoon of March 11, a person turned over to police for safekeeping a cordless telephone that had been found along Wasserman Way at Fairfield Hills. The Radio Shack-brand telephone is black and operates on the 2.4 gigahertz band. The owner may claim the device at the police station at 3 Main Street.

DUI Charge

Police report they saw motorist Steven Belfiglio, 48, of Oxford crossing over the center line of Meadow Brook Road on March 15, so they stopped him to investigate. Police said that Belfiglio failed field sobriety testing.

Police charged Belfiglio with driving under the influence, driving under suspension, and failure to drive to the right.

After processing the arrest, police released Belfiglio on $200 bail for a March 31 appearance in Danbury Superior Court.

Two Accidents

Police report that two accidents occurred shortly after one another at the same place during snowy conditions on the night of March 16.

Motorist Salaam Abdul Jabbar, 40, of Bridgeport was driving a 1997 Plymouth Breeze southward on South Main Street about 8:10 pm, near its intersection with Pecks Lane South, when Jabbar lost control of the vehicle on the slippery road, went off the right road shoulder, and struck some guardrailing, police said.

Jabbar was not injured. Police issued Jabbar an infraction ticket for driving an unregistered vehicle and verbally warned Jabbar for making a restricted turn.

At about 8:30 pm, Hector Mazo, 48, of West Haven was driving a 1994 International 4000 box truck southward on South Main Street and tried to avoid striking the crashed Plymouth, but went into a skid and struck a tree on the right side of the road. Mazo was not injured. Police took no enforcement.

Toddy Hill Collision

Motorist Mariel Brown, 19, of 19 Settlers Lane was driving a Chevrolet Beretta southward on Toddy Hill Road in snowy conditions at about 4:30 pm March 16, when the auto drifted to the right and struck a utility pole, police said. Brown was transported to Danbury Hospital top be treated for injuries, police said.

Mile Hill Road South

Police report a two-vehicle accident on a slope on Mile Hill Road South near its intersection with Turkey Hill Road during slippery, snowy conditions at about 5:45 pm March 16.

The crash involved motorist Faith Loso, 42, of Proctor, Vt., who was driving a 1996 Pontiac Grand Am, and motorist Gregory Pansa, 42, of 44 Turkey Hill Road, who was driving a 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee sport-utility vehicle, police said. There were no injuries. Police took no enforcement.

Briarwoods Crash

Police report a one-truck accident on Briarwoods Road, a dead-end street off Butterfield Road, during snowy conditions at about 6:30 pm March 16.

Motorist Eric Metz, 39, of 57 Parmalee Hill Road was driving a 1997 GMC Sierra pickup truck, which had a snowplow mounted on it, southward on a curve on Briarwoods Road, when he lost control of the truck, police said. The truck went off the right side of the road and the plow blade struck and moved an electric utilities equipment cabinet positioned alongside the street, police said.

The crash resulted in a power outage in that area, police said. The Connecticut Light & Power Company sent a work crew to the accident to restore power. Metz was not injured in accident, police said.

Middle School Alcohol

Newtown Middle School administrators conducted an investigation March 17 into a report of youths at the school being in possession of alcohol, police said. The administrators then found two 14-year-old girls possessing alcohol,  police said.

Police transported the two girls to the police station where each was arrested on a charge of illegal possession of alcohol by a minor, after which they were released from police custody for April 5 appearances in Danbury Juvenile Court. Because the youths are under 16, state law shields their identities from public disclosure.

High School Alcohol

Police report that on March 17 they charged a youth at Newtown High School with illegal possession of alcohol by a minor. The arrest stems from a March 5 incident at the school, police said.

After processing the arrest, police released the youth for an April 5 appearance in Danbury Juvenile Court. Because the person charged is under age 16, their identity is not disclosed by police.

Auto Vandalism

Sometime during the early morning hours of March 14, someone broke a rear window on a motor vehicle, which was parked in the driveway of a home on Taunton Lake Road, police report. Police are investigating and ask anyone with information on the identity of the vandal to contact them at 426-5841 or at 270-8888.

Hawleyville Deer

At about 11:30 am on March 13, motorist Ruth Hunt, 76, of 43 Bennetts Bridge Road was driving a 1996 Toyota Camry southward on Hawleyville Road, near Covered Bridge Road, when a deer ran into the street and collided with the auto, according to police. Hunt was not injured. Police took no enforcement.

Toyota Vs Guardrail

 Motorist Tatria Gooden, 22, of Waterbury was driving a 1993 Toyota Paseo coupe eastward on a snowy Schoolhouse Hill Road at about 5:15 pm March 16, when the vehicle slid off the right side of the road and struck some metal guardrailing near the Housatonic Railroad overpass, police said. Newtown Hook and Ladder firefighters responded.

The Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps transported Gooden to Danbury Hospital to be checked for pain, police said. Police said they issued Gooden a verbal warning.

Motorcycle Accident

Motorcyclist James Lee, 27, of Watertown was driving a 1998 Buell eastward on a curve on Berkshire Road, near its intersection with Zoar Road, at about 1:30 pm March 13, when Lee lost control of the motorcycle. The Buell went off the right side of the road and landed in a ditch, police said. Lee was not injured.

Police said they issued Lee an infraction ticket for making a restricted turn. Police also issued Lee written warnings for traveling too fast for conditions  and for failure to carry a vehicle registration.