High School Drugs

Police report they arrested two male Newtown High School students on drug charges on May 18 after investigating a compliant that they were smoking in a rest room at the school.

Police said they charged each of the two boys with possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and smoking in a public building.

One youth is 16 years old; the other boy is 17. Under recent state law, youths who are either 16 or 17 and charged with crimes are categorized as “youthful offenders” and their identities are concealed by police and the courts.

After arrest processing, police released the two boys to their parents on written promises to appear for arraignment on June 2 at Danbury Youthful Offender Court. Such court proceedings are closed to the public.

Arrest Warrant

On May 18, police arrested Michael Mottola, 46, of Trumbull on a warrant, charging him with violation of a protective order and also with violation of a restraining order. The arrest stems from a complaint filed with police in March. After he posted $6,000 bail, police released Mottola for arraignment May 19 in Danbury Superior Court.

Drug Charges

Police report they stopped motorist Joseph Bromley, 22, of Waterbury about 3 pm May 20 for a motor vehicle violation on Toddy Hill Road.

During the course of their investigation, police conducted a search of Bromley’s vehicle with their dog, resulting in police charging him with possession of narcotics (heroin) and possession of drug paraphernalia.

At the order of his parole officer, Bromley was held by police for a May 22 arraignment on the charges in Danbury Superior Court.

Church Hill DUI

Police said that at about 1:30 am on May 20, they received a cellular telephone call from a motorist, informing them that another motorist was driving erratically northward on South Main Street, so police went to the area to investigate.

Police said they stopped the erratically-driven vehicle on Church Hill Road, after which they gave motorist Amanda Ma, 24, of 20 Russett Road field sobriety tests.

Police said they charged Ma with driving under the influence, failure to drive to the right, and driving a vehicle with an overcrowded front seat. 

After processing, police released Ma on $100 bail for a June 8 court appearance.

Distracted Driver

About 7:30 pm May 21, motorist Jason Gustafson, 26, of Danbury, who was driving a 1996 Nissan coupe, turned left from southbound South Main Street onto eastbound Mile Hill Road, police said.

At that time, Gustafson was answering his cellular telephone and he became distracted, striking some curbing, police said. The vehicle then climbed some guardrailing, becoming lodged atop it, police said. Gustafson was not injured.

Police issued Gustafson an infraction ticket for making a restricted turn and driving while distracted.

DUI Charge

After responding to a local domestic dispute on May 22, police arrested Jose L. Ruiz, 35, of Danbury on charges of driving under the influence, disorderly conduct, and third degree criminal mischief. Police said Ruiz was scheduled for arraignment on the charges on May 22 in Danbury Superior Court.

Cadillac Hits Flagpole

About 2:34 pm May 21, during a heavy rainstorm, motorist John Kalfas, 80, of North Baldwin, N.Y., who was driving a 2005 Cadillac CTS sedan, was attempting to make a left turn from westbound Church Hill Road onto southbound Main Street, police said.

In the heavy rain, Kalfas did not see the Main Street flagpole and collided with it, police said. Kalfas was not injured. Police issued him a written warning for making a restricted turn.

Sedan Vs Pedestrian

About 2:23 pm May 21, motorist David Berliner, 17, of 41 Saw Mill Road was driving a 1992 Audi 100 sedan northward on Saw Mill Road and was negotiating a curve in the road, police said.

At that time, Berliner spotted pedestrian Maegan Tannenbaum, 18, of 13 Saw Mill Road in the roadway, police said.

Berliner attempted to avoid a collision, as did Tannenbaum, but Tannenbaum was struck by the automobile’s exterior passenger-side rear-view mirror, police said.

The Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps transported Tannenbaum to Danbury Hospital on a report of pain in the left arm and side, police said.

Police said they verbally warned Berliner for traveling too fast. The case remains under investigation, police said.

I-84 Arrests

State police said that they stopped a vehicle about 8:45 pm May 16 on eastbound Interstate 84, near Exit 9, because it did not have a front market plate.

An electronic records check indicated that the vehicle had been stolen from Danbury, according to state police.

State police charged the driver, Francisco DaSilva, 24, of Danbury with third degree larceny and with marker plate and license violations. State police charged passenger Adelaide DaSilva, 21, of Danbury with conspiracy to commit third degree larceny.

State police said they held both on bail for appearances the following day in Danbury Superior Court.

Dodge Vs Bridge

About 4 pm May 19, motorist Isaiah Baker, 66, of Silver Springs, Md.,  was driving a 2006 Dodge Caravan minivan eastward on Interstate 84, near Exit 9, when traffic slowed, state police said.

To avoid a collision, Baker then veered to the right, but struck a section of a highway bridge, state police said. Baker was not injured. State police said he made an unsafe lane change.

Interstate Crash

About 7 am May 18, motorist Steven Soucar, 48, of 8 Brandywine Lane, who was driving a 2006 Toyota Camry westward on Interstate 84, near Exit 9, slowed for traffic conditions, state police said.

Westbound motorist Sara Marcoux, 30, of Waterbury, who was driving a 1996 Honda Accord, could not stop in time and struck the rear end of the Toyota, state police said. There were no injuries. State police said Marcoux was following too closely.

Moving Violations

Police report that at about 6:30 pm on May 22, they spotted motorist Steven A. Petrella, 47, of 20 Housatonic Drive driving a vehicle on Walnut Tree Hill Road which had no front marker plate on it, so they stopped him to investigate.

Police charged Petrella with failure to display a marker plate, driving an unregistered vehicle, driving while under suspension, and driving without automotive insurance.

After processing, police released Petrella on a written promise to appear June 6 in Danbury Superior Court.

Dangerous Intersection

A two-vehicle crash occurred at the hazardous intersection of South Main Street and Orchard Hill Road about 6 pm May 22.

Motorist Sean Currier, 31, of Gainesville, Fla., who was driving a 1983 Chevrolet van, attempted to pull out from Orchard Hill Road onto South Main Street, but collided with motorist Norma Ortega, 38, of Danbury, who was driving a 2002 Ford Taurus southward on South Main Street, police said.

There were no injuries. Police verbally warned Currier for failure to grant the right of way.

Rear-Ender

About 6:40 am May 22, westbound motorist Loren Thompson, 41, of Buttonball Drive, who was driving a 1989 Ford truck, stopped on Wasserman Way and was waiting for eastbound traffic to clear to allow the Ford to turn left onto Nunnawauk Road, when the Ford was struck from behind by westbound motorist Thomas McGowan, 52, of Oxford, who was driving a 2003 Mercedes-Benz sedan, police said.

There were no injuries. Police issued McGowan an infraction ticket for traveling at an unsafe distance.

Pickup Vs Pickup

An accident involving two pickup trucks occurred about 10:45 am May 20 at the hazardous intersection of Route 34 and Berkshire Road.

Motorist Ian Pharo, 32, of 59 Algonquin Trail, who was driving a 1989 Ford pickup truck, was making a left turn from eastbound Route 34 onto Pole Bridge Road, when the Ford collided head-on with a 1986 Dodge pickup truck being driven westward on Route 34 by William Jennings, Jr, 41, of Ansonia, police said.

There were no injuries. Pharo received a written warning for failure to grant the right of way. Jennings received a misdemeanor ticket for failure to have automotive insurance.

Church Hill Collision

Police report a two-vehicle accident near 61 Church Hill Road about 4:45 pm May 18, in which one of the two vehicles left the scene of the crash.

Police said the accident involved Ellen Kratzer, 49, of Roxbury, who was driving a 2002 Toyota station wagon, and an unknown other driver, who left the scene after the accident occurred. Kratzer was not injured, police said. Police gave her a written warning for driving an unregistered vehicle.

Boulevard Crash

About 9 pm May 18, motorist Casey Gilbert, 17, of 79 Cedar Hill Road, who was driving a 1998 Jeep station wagon northward on the Boulevard, slid on some wet pavement, crossed the road and then struck guardrailing along the southbound road shoulder, police said. Neither Gilbert, nor two passengers, were injured, police said. Gilbert received a written warning for failure to drive to the right on a curve.

Harassment

Police said that on May 22, after learning that police held an arrest warrant, a youth under age 16 came to the police station and was arrested on a charge of second-degree harassment. The arrest stems from an April complaint. Details on the incident were not available.

The identities of people under age 16 charged with crimes are shielded from public disclosure by police. The youth was released on a promise to appear June 5 in Danbury Juvenile Court.

Drug Arrest

Police said they arrested Todd Adams, 26, of 22 Little Brook Lane on a warrant on May 23, charging him with possession of narcotics in connection with an incident that occurred at his home in early January. 

Police said that during the course of the January incident, Adams was found to be in possession of heroin and a syringe.

After posting $250 bail, police released Adams for a June 7 appearance in Danbury Superior Court.

Drug Charge

On May 23, police arrested a female Newtown High School student on a charge of possession of less than four ounces of marijuana.

Police transported the girl to the police station for arrest processing, after which she was released on a written promise to appear in Danbury Juvenile Court on June 5.

 Because the youth is under age 16, police concealed her identity.

Mile Hill Road

About 6:45 am May 24, police observed motorist Marlon Lopes, 28, of Danbury driving a westward on Mile Hill Road without a front marker plate, so they stopped Lopes to investigate.

Police charged Lopes with failure to display a front marker plate, driving while under suspension, and driving without a license.

After posting $100 bail, Lopes was released for a June 5 court appearance.

Evading

Police said they stopped motorist Janice Markey, 35, of 59 Riverside Road on that street at about 6:20 pm May 24 for driving an unregistered vehicle.

Police said they then learned that they held an active arrest warrant on Markey and they charged her with evading responsibility in connection with a January motor vehicle accident.

At about 9 pm on January 20, Markey, who was driving a sport-utility vehicle, allegedly drove into a fuel tanker truck that was unloading fuel at the Mobil gas station at 62 Church Hill Road, after which she drove away before police arrived to investigate, police said.

On May 24, after she posted $1,500 bail on the evading responsibility charge, police released Markey for a June 9 court appearance.