Tractor Trailers Trade Mirrors

Newtown Police report Donald Hill, 58, of Bridgeport, operating a 2023 Mack Truck, was traveling southbound on South Main Street at 5:17 pm July 9. Theodore Stanislaw, 66, of Danbury, operating a 2025 Freightliner Cascadia, was traveling northbound on South Main Street. Upon passing each other, the mirrors of each vehicle connected and were damaged.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

No enforcement action was taken and the investigating officer was unable to determine fault based on available evidence.

Following Too Close

Newtown Police report Ryne Tompsen, 31, of Milford, operating a 2013 Hyundai Elantra, was traveling southbound on Botsford Hill Road at 7:57 am July 10. He was traveling behind a 2013 Audi A6 operated by Carter Payne, 21, of Woodbury. Payne slowed and Tompsen was unable to stop in time, rear ending Payne’s vehicle.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

Tompsen was issued a written warning for following too close.

Rear Ended On Washington Avenue

Newtown Police report Michael Lawlor, 18, of Sandy Hook, operating a 2017 Chevrolet Traverse, was traveling southbound on Washington Avenue at 10:51 am July 12. He was traveling behind a 2018 Acura RDX operated by Kim Venezia, 59, of Sandy Hook. Venezia slowed to turn left onto Pearl Street and Lawlor did not slow in time, rear ending Venezia’s vehicle.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

Lawlor was issued a written warning for failure to drive a reasonable distance apart.

Runaway Vehicle Strikes Utility Pole

Newtown Police report a 2004 Ford F250 owned by McCulloch Property Maintenance was parked and unoccupied in front of a home on Stone Fence Lane at 10:26 am July 14. The parking brake was not set and the vehicle began to roll, traveling westbound downhill before traveling across the northbound and southbound sides of Great Hill Road. The front driver side door made contact with a utility pole off the southbound shoulder of Great Hill Road. The vehicle came to rest off the road and shoulder of Great Hill Road.

A passerby tried to stop the vehicle and sustained minor injuries, and was transported to Danbury Hospital.

McCulloch was issued enforcement for operating an unregistered motor vehicle and failure to secure the parking brake.

(Note: A photo from this incident was published in last week's Fire Reports.)

Tree Hits Car

Newtown Police report Milian Berrera, 46, of Bridgeport, operating a 2022 Ford F250, was traveling eastbound on New Lebbon Road at 12:27 pm July 15. A tree fell into the roadway from the westbound shoulder and struck Berrera’s vehicle.

No injuries were reported. The vehicle was not towed.

No enforcement action was taken.

Hit Deer

Newtown Police report Sherezada Inness, 36, of Newtown, operating a 2022 Kia Sorento, was traveling northbound on Pine Tree Hill Road at 1:18 am July 18. While negotiating a left hand curve in the road, a deer jumped out of the woods and was struck by Inness’ vehicle.

Inness was not injured. The vehicle was not towed.

No enforcement action was taken.

Operating A Vehicle Under Suspension Charge

Newtown Police arrested Lata Gutierrez, 23, of Danbury, at 1:42 pm July 19, on the charge of illegal operation of a motor vehicle while under suspension. She was released on a promise to appear with a court date of July 31 in Danbury Superior Court.

Ram Strikes Tesla

Newtown Police arrested Jack Cardi, 30, of Shelton, operating a 2021 Ram 1500, was traveling northbound on Elm Drive and came to a stop for the stop sign at the intersection of Sugar Street at 2:57 pm July 19. Margo Woodall, 65, of Danbury, operating a 2023 Tesla Model 3, was traveling eastbound on Sugar Street in the left turn only lane. Cardi started making a left turn onto Sugar Street and made contact with the rear of Woodall’s vehicle.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

Cardi was issued a verbal warning for failure to grant right of way at a stop sign.

Lost Tools

Newtown Police report that at approximately 3:30 pm July 19, numerous tools and other items were observed falling out of a truck on Button Shop Road in the area of Little Brook Lane.

The items were secured by the Newtown Police Department.

Anyone with information or wishing to claim the items is asked to contact the Newtown Police Department at 203-426-5841.

Car Hits Business

Newtown Police report David O’Leary, 23, of Newtown, operating a 2005 Subaru Legacy, was pulling into a parking spot in front of the entrance to New Main Moon at 4:19 pm July 19. O’Leary mistakenly applied the gas instead of the brake and struck the exterior wall and front door of New Main Moon.

No injuries were reported. The vehicle was towed.

New Main Moon was instructed they needed to stop operations due to the unsafe entrance, until cleared by the town building department.

No enforcement action was taken since the incident occurred on private property.

Vehicle Hit Utility Pole, One Passenger Injured

Newtown Police report Jonathan DeFalco, 31, of New Haven, operating a 2016 Hyundai Sonata, was traveling eastbound on Swamp Road at 7:52 pm July 19. DeFalco’s vehicle struck a curb and then hit a utility pole.

Three passengers were evaluated on scene by EMS, one was transported to St Vincent’s Hospital. The vehicle was towed.

No enforcement action was taken.

Struck Guardrail

Newtown Police report Janeen Gomez, 28, of Bridgeport, operating a 2011 BMW 5-Series, was traveling westbound on Mile Hill Road at 10:05 pm July 19. While descending a hill, the vehicle went out of the Gomez’s control, crossed the double yellow line, and struck the guard rail on the eastbound shoulder.

No injuries were reported. The vehicle was towed.

Gomez was issued an infraction for failure to maintain the proper lane, and improper operation of a motor vehicle with out of state plates.

Operating A Vehicle Under Suspension Charge

Newtown Police report Marie Begin, 61, of Waterbury, was arrested at 6:52 am July 21 on the charge of illegal operation of a motor vehicle while under suspension and failure to obey a stop sign. She was released on a promise to appear with a court date of August 5 in Danbury Superior Court.

Unlicensed, Unregistered, Uninsured

Newtown Police report Daniel Gmuer, 50, of New Milford, was arrested at 9 am July 21 on the charges of improper use of a marker plate, illegal operation of a motor vehicle without proper insurance, illegal operation of a motor vehicle while under suspension, and failure to obey a stop sign. He was released on a promise to appear with a court date of July 31 in Danbury Superior Court.

Collision In Intersection

Newtown Police report Lisa Preepaiboon, 55, of Sandy Hook, operating a 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee, was traveling northbound on Poverty Hollow Road at the intersection with Hattertown Road at 5:09 pm July 22. Anna Rivera, 69, of Newtown, operating a 2015 Mini Cooper, was traveling eastbound on Hattertown Road at the intersection with Poverty Hollow Road. Both vehicles proceeded into the intersection and collided.

Rivera reported chest pain and was transported to Danbury Hospital. Rivera’s vehicle was towed.

Preepaiboon was verbally warned for failure to grant right of way at an intersection.