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Police Reports | June 16-June 27, 2023

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Updated: This report has been updated to correct the operator charged in a June 21 collision on Berkshire Road.

Hydroplaned Into Wall

Newtown Police report Bruno Ranolfi, 18, of Sandy Hook, operating a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro, was heading southbound on Brushy Hill Road at 6:14 pm June 16. Police say the road was wet due to a fresh rainfall, when Ranolfi attempted to brake after exiting a curve in the road and began to hydroplane. Ranolfi’s vehicle went off the roadway and traveled through a stone wall on private property.

Ranolfi reported minor injuries and was transported to Danbury Hospital. The vehicle was totaled and towed from the scene.

Ranolfi was issued an infraction for traveling too fast for conditions and failure to drive in the proper lane.

Reckless Driving

Newtown Police report Anthony Barger, 17, of Naugatuck, operating a 2014 Mercedes Benz C300, was traveling northbound on the Interstate 84 exit 11 off-ramp at 2:34 am June 17. Police say Barger reached the T-intersection with Wasserman Way, but did not turn either left or right, instead continuing straight, where it struck a curb and went up a small embankment, before striking some small trees and brush, and coming to a stop.

No injuries were reported. The vehicle was towed.

Barger was charged with use of a motor vehicle without the owner’s permission, reckless driving, operating a motor vehicle without a license, and failure to drive in the proper lane. He was given a court date of June 22 in Waterbury Superior Court.

Failed To Heed Stop Sign

Newtown Police report Melanie McNamara, 72, of Trumbull, operating a 2014 Toyota Avalon, was traveling north on Hattertown Road at 1:02 pm June 18. Walker Russell, 22, of Sandy Hook, operating a 2013 Ford F150, was traveling north on Poverty Hollow Road. Russell entered the intersection of Poverty Hollow Road and Hattertown Road after stopping at the stop sign. Police say McNamara did not grant right of way, and the front driver’s side corner of her vehicle struck the rear passenger’s side tire of Russell’s vehicle.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

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

Left Scene Of Incident

Newtown Police report Catherine Hawkes, 63, of Southbury, operating a 2012 Honda Civic, was backing to leave a parking lot on Tinkerfield Road at 9:24 pm June 18. Frederick Booth, 57, of Southbury, operating a 2010 Dodge Nitro, was also attempting to leave the same lot. Police say Hawkes’ vehicle struck the passenger side door of Booth’s vehicle, and then left the scene.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

No enforcement action is mentioned in the report.

Mirrors Collide

Newtown Police report Tyshawn Boykin, 42, of East Haven, operating a 2009 Ford E450, was traveling northbound on Main Street at 1:51 pm June 20. Jacob Shuster, 22, of Landenberg, Penn., operating a 2023 Ram Promaster, was parked northbound at 14 Main Street, over the northbound fog line and extended into the northbound travel lane. Police say Boykin attempted to pass Shuster’s vehicle on the left and the front right side mirror of Boykin’s vehicle made contact with the front left side mirror of Shuster’s vehicle.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

Boykin was given a verbal warning for unsafe passing and Shuster was given a verbal warning for improper parking.

Improper Turn

Newtown Police report John Heigel, 71, of Sandy Hook, operating a 2014 Ram Truck 1500, was traveling east on Berkshire Road at 12:03 pm June 21. James Welch, 30, of Sandy Hook, operating a 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe, was traveling south on Paugussett Road and stopped at the stop sign at the intersection of Paugussett Road and Berkshire Road. Police say Heigel turned left onto Paugussett Road and his vehicle struck Welch’s vehicle.

No injuries were reported. Welch’s vehicle was towed.

Heigel was issued an infraction for making an improper turn.

DUI Charge

Newtown Police officers responded to a call at 5:19 am June 25, of a vehicle stopped at a traffic light at the intersection of Sugar Street and Main Street, with its operator sleeping behind the wheel. Upon investigation, police found the operator, Marcospaulo Scarpa, 24, of Naugatuck, operating under the influence. He was arrested on the charges of illegal operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and failure to obey traffic control signals. He was released on a $1,000 bond with a court date of July 11 in Danbury Superior Court.

Possession Of Drugs

Newtown Police report Corey Regensburger, 36, of Newtown, was arrested at 2:09 pm June 25 on the charges of use of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance — first offense, and illegal possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle. He was released on a promise to appear with a court date of July 11 in Danbury Superior Court.

Changed Mind, Hit Car

Newtown Police report James Gustavson, 36, of Danbury, operating a 2019 Jeep Cherokee, was traveling northbound on Hawleyville Road at 9:49 am June 26. Sheila George, 72, of Danbury, operating a 2020 Ford Edge, was traveling northbound on Hawleyville Road. Police say Gustavson began merging onto the Interstate 84 entrance ramp and then attempted to merge back onto northbound Hawleyville Road traffic. The front left corner of his vehicle made contact with the front right corner of George’s vehicle.

George was evaluated at the scene for possible injuries but was not transported. Both vehicles were towed.

Gustavson was issued an infraction for unsafe movement.

Passing On Left

Newtown Police report Lindita Vinca, 41, of Newtown, operating a 2016 Land Rover Range Rover, was traveling westbound on Church Hill Road at 4:31 pm June 26. She was traveling behind a 1998 Chevrolet Astrovan operated by Manuel Sanchez, 41, of Danbury. Police say Sanchez came to a stop in traffic, and Vinca passed Sanchez’s vehicle on the left trying to make a left turn into 28 Church Hill Road. Vinca’s vehicle sideswiped Sanchez’s vehicle.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

Vinca was issued a verbal warning for passing on the left.

Police Investigate Note

Newtown Police report they received a complaint at 3:43 pm June 27 from the operator of a 2013 Volvo S60, saying when he returned to his vehicle in the parking lot of Dickinson Park, he found a note left by an unknown person stating they witnessed a vehicle back into the Volvo, with a Connecticut registration plate number. There was minor scratching on the rear bumper that the complainant said is from the incident. Police located Martin O’Donnell, 72, of Newtown, who was operating a 2015 Honda Pilot, and was told that O’Donnell was not aware that he had struck a vehicle while reversing. The officer did not observe any damage on O’Donnell’s vehicle.

No further police action was taken.

Unregistered, Uninsured, Unlicensed

Newtown Police report Joel Ramirez, 28, of Bridgeport, was arrested at 7:47 pm June 27, on the charges of operation of an unregistered motor vehicle, improper use of marker plates, operation of a motor vehicle without minimum insurance, and operation of a motor vehicle without a license. He was released with a court date of July 11 in Danbury Superior Court.

Police, fire, and ambulance personnel all responded to Mile Hill Road at its intersection with Queen Street around 9:23 am Tuesday, June 27, following a reported three-vehicle crash there. According to the police report, Emily L. Hechler, 17, of Newtown, operating a 2017 BMW X3 sedan, had been at the stop sign at the southern end of Queen Street, when she pulled into the intersection with Mile Hill, intending to make a left turn. At the time, a Ford F550 super duty truck being operated by Joseph T. Premus, 20, of Sandy Hook, was traveling west on Mile Hill, near Queen Street. Meanwhile, a 2018 Tesla Model 3 being operated by Reese M. Lischuk, 16, of Newtown, was traveling east on Mile Hill Road, also near the Queen Street intersection. Hechler drove into the intersection in front of the Ford truck, which swerved to the left to avoid striking the BMW. The front of the BMW collided with the passenger side of the Ford, which then rotated clockwise. The rear driver’s side of the truck collided with the windshield of the Tesla. Lischuk was transported to the hospital for treatment of suspected minor injuries. Hechler, Premus, and two passengers in the truck were checked for injuries but did not go to the hospital. Hechler was issued an infraction for failure to obey a stop sign. —Bee Photo, Hicks
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