Felony Larceny

Newtown police said they served an arrest warrant against Christopher Pencz, 35, of Thomaston on the morning of May 25 in Danbury Superior Court, where he was in the custody of the state Department of Correction in connection with another matter.

Police arrested Pencz on a charge of second degree larceny for his alleged theft of jewelry from a Newtown home on April 7, while he was working there as an air conditioning repairman. Second degree larceny, which is a felony, involves the theft of items valued at between $5,000 and $10,000.

Pencz was arraigned on the larceny charge in court on May 25. Pencz was being held this week at the Bridgeport Correctional Center on $30,000 bail.

Warrant

After learning that he was in the custody of New Haven police, Newtown police went to New Haven on May 26 and arrested Benjamin Gonzalez, 41, of Shelton on charges of second degree failure to appear in court, failure to drive a reasonable distance apart, and driving while under suspension.

Police said the case stems from a motor vehicle accident in which Gonzalez was involved last August 18.

In that crash, Gonzalez, who was driving a 1999 Pontiac Grand Am southward on South Main Street, struck the rear end of a southbound 2000 Volvo SSE, which was stopped and waiting to make a left turn onto Peck’s Lane, according to police.

Newtown police said they released Gonzalez on $500 bail for a June 20 appearance in Danbury Superior Court.

Newtown police said that Gonzalez was wanted on multiple warrants held by police in several towns.

Berkshire Crash

Police report a two-car accident near 182 Berkshire Road about 8 am May 21.

Eastbound motorist Carmella Vatelle, 75, of 55 Sugar Street, who was driving a 2000 Dodge Neon, activated her turn signal and began to slow the vehicle to make a left turn into a driveway, when eastbound motorist Domingos Martins, 43, of Oxford, who was driving a 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse behind the Dodge, then attempted to pass the Dodge on the left, but collided with it, police said.

There were no injuries. Martins received a written warning for improper passing, police said.

Waterbury Man

Police report they stopped motorist Larry Spruill, 29, of Waterbury on Church Hill Road on May 29 for a display problem with the rear marker plate on his vehicle.

After investigating, police charged Spruill with a marker plate violation and with driving while under suspension.

Police released Spruill on a written promise to appear June 16 in Danbury Superior Court to answer the charges.

Currituck Road

Police said they stopped motorist Aaron Arroyo, 25, of 50 Deep Brook Road for driving a 1997 Nissan Maxima too fast on northbound Currituck Road about 8:40 pm May 29.

Police charged Arroyo with speeding and with driving while under suspension. After he posted $50 bail, police released Arroyo for a June 13 court appearance.

Swamp Road

Motorist Danny Booth, 24, of 13 Bear Hills Road, who was driving a 1994 Ford Thunderbird coupe southward on Swamp Road about 5:35 am May 25, drove into a ditch along the right side of the road, police said.

Police then went to the scene to investigate the accident near 33 Swamp Road, in which there were no injuries. Police issued Booth a misdemeanor summons on charges of misuse of marker plates, driving an unregistered vehicle, making a restricted turn, and driving without automotive insurance.

Keys Found

On Friday, May 26, a set of keys was found near 75 South Main Street, according to police. The keys are being held by police for safekeeping. The owner may contact Sergeant Darlene Froehlich to claim the keys. The police station is at 3 Main Street, telephone 426-5841.

DUI Arrest

Police report they spotted a 2002 Toyota traveling southward on Queen Street that crossed the road’s center line about 12:17 am May 30. The Toyota then did not stop at a stop sign at the intersection of Queen Street and Mile Hill Road, police said.

Police report they stopped the vehicle at the intersection of Mile Hill Road and South Main Street to investigate. Police said they gave motorist Kurt Eastman, 51, of 164 Brushy Hill Road field sobriety tests.

Police charged Eastman with driving under the influence, failure to obey a stop sign, and a with travel lane violation.

After posting $60 bail, police released Eastman for a June 13 court appearance.

 

Fairfield Hills

Newtown police said West Haven police on May 29 had in custody Kurt Myers, 22, of West Haven for whom Newtown police had an arrest warrant.

Newtown police arrested Myers, charging him with failure to respond to an infraction and with simple trespassing.

On September 17, 2004, Myers had received a ticket for simple trespassing at Fairfield Hills, but he never responded to the ticket, so a judge issued a rearrest warrant against him, police report. Such tickets carry a $92 fine.

After posting $100 bail, police released Myers for a June 6 court appearance.

Collision

Police report a two-vehicle accident at the intersection of Fox Run Lane South and Castle Hill Road about 9:48 am May 26.

The collision occurred between motorist Michael Neiman, 60, of 6 Fox Run Lane South, who was driving a 2001 Subaru Legacy Outback station wagon, and motorist John Patrick Grisko, 25, of Southbury, who was driving a 2001 Ford truck, police said. Police said they issued each driver a written warning.

DUI Charge

Police report that at about 1:40 am May 28, they saw motorist Kevin Warren, 27, of Meriden crossing over the road’s center lines while driving southward on South Main Street, so they stopped him to investigate. After giving him field sobriety tests, police charged Warren with driving under the influence and with failure to drive to the right.

After arrest processing, police released Warren on $200 bail for a June 13 court appearance.

Shoplifting Incident

Police said they were dispatched to the Super Stop & Shop supermarket at Sand Hill Plaza at 228 South Main Street about 11:45 pm May 26 in response to a reported theft in progress.

Two suspects had left the store after attempting to steal items there, police said. Police said they received a description of the vehicle in which the two suspects were traveling, after which they found it and stopped it near the intersection of Wasserman Way and Route 34.

Police said they charged the driver, Mandy Mulligan, 26, of New Fairfield, with driving while under suspension, sixth degree larceny, possession of burglary tools, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Police said they charged the passenger, Robert Teck, 37, of Danbury, with sixth degree larceny, possession of burglary tools, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Police released Mulligan on a promise to appear in court on June 15. Police said they held Teck on bail for a May 30 court appearance.

Toyota Vs BMW

Motorist Paul Genna, 41, of 32 Lake Road, who was driving a 2005 BMW X-5 sport-utility vehicle southward near 33 Berkshire Road, slowed for traffic conditions at about 3:20 pm May 20, police said.

Southbound motorist Kristen Tanski, 18, of 4 Megans Circle, who was driving a 1991 Toyota Camry, then struck the BMW from behind, police said.

There were no injuries. Tanski received a written warning for following too closely.

Drug Arrest

State police said that they stopped a motor vehicle on westbound Interstate 84, near Exit 9, about 11 pm May 25 to investigate.

State police said they arrested a passenger in that vehicle, whom they identified as William McRae, 28, of no certain address. State police arrested him on charges of possession of narcotics with intent to sell, violation of a protective order, and interfering with police. State police said they found McRae in possession of 11 grams of crack cocaine.

State police said they held McRae on bail for a court appearance the following day.

DUI Case

Newtown police report they stopped motorist Jean Messemer, 54, of 8 Bayberry Drive while she was traveling on Route 302 about 10 pm May 26, after being alerted by Bethel police that she had been involved in an incident in Bethel.

Police said they gave Messemer field sobriety tests, after which she was charged with driving under the influence. After posting $50 bail, police released her for a June 9 appearance in Danbury Superior Court.

Cadillac Vs Toyota

A two-vehicle accident occurred at the intersection of Main Street, West Street, and Church Hill Road about 4:18 pm May 26.

Police said the collision involved motorist Kelly Pompea, 39, of New Fairfield, who was driving a 1995 Cadillac, and Christopher Hayes, 60, of 29 Taunton Ridge Road, who was driving a 1998 Toyota. Police said Pompea was warned for passing on the right.

Traffic Signal

Police said motorist Fernando Guzman, 21, of Danbury who was driving a 2000 BMW westward on Berkshire Road about 8:40 pm on May 27, drove through a red traffic signal at the intersection of Berkshire Road and Toddy Hill Road.

Police said they stopped the BMW at the intersection of Berkshire Road and Wasserman Way to investigate. Police charged Guzman with failure to obey a traffic control signal and with driving while under suspension.

After posting $100 bail, police released Guzman for a June 13 court appearance.

DUI Arrest

Police said they saw motorist Bruce McLaughlin, 66, of 14 Alberts Hill Road make a right turn on red at a traffic signal at the intersection of Glen Road and Church Hill Road, where it is posted that no turn on red is allowed, so they stopped him about 7:35 pm May 31 on Church Hill Road to investigate.

After he performed field sobriety tests, police charged McLaughlin with driving under the influence and with failure to obey a traffic signal.

After processing, police released McLaughlin on $240 bail for a June 15 court appearance.

Marker Plate

Police said they stopped motorist Matthew Berk, 18, of 1 Sweet Briar Lane for not having a front marker plate on the vehicle that he was driving at about 9:30 pm May 26 on Queen Street. After investigating, police charged Berk with misuse of a marker plate. Police released him on a promise to appear in court on June 15.

Church Hill Crash

Police report a two-vehicle accident in front of Hawley School on Church Hill Road about 5:20 pm May 30.

Eastbound motorist Karen Kneisel, 38, of Currituck Road, who was driving a 2004 Nissan, was making a left turn into the Hawley School parking lot, when she was struck by westbound motorist Christina Wolf, 18, of Taunton Lake Drive, who was driving a 2001 Hyundai, police said.

Police did not provide information on whether there were injuries in the accident. Police said Wolf was illegally passing on the right when the accident occurred.

 

Drug Charges

Police report that after they found a student at Newtown High School on May 26 to be in possession of an illegal drug, they pressed charges against him.

Police said they charged Andrew Giannettino, 18, of 18 Chestnut Hill Road with possession of less than four ounces of marijuana and with possession of drug paraphernalia.

Police released Giannettino for an upcoming appearance in Danbury Superior Court.