Construction Burglary

Sometime between 4:45 pm August 17 and 7:30 am August 19, someone entered a home under construction on Meridian Ridge Drive and stole multiple painter’s tools, police report. Meridian Ridge, a new residential subdivision, is located off Old Hawleyville Road, near the Brookfield town line. The crimes committed are criminal trespassing, burglary, and larceny.

Police ask anyone with information on the incident to contact them at 426-5841.

Knife Incident

Police were called to Newtown Shopping Village at 6 Queen Street about 9:10 pm August 24 on a report that a male there was threatening other people with a knife.

Police said they located the male and took him into custody, learning that he had been involved in a verbal fight with others and then brandished a knife, making threatening remarks. There were no injuries, police said.

Police charged the male with second-degree threatening and with second-degree breach of peace.

The person who police arrested is categorized as a youthful offender, meaning that he is 16 or 17 years old, and thus his identity is shielded by state law.

After arrest processing, the youth was released on written promise to appear September 8 in Danbury Youthful Offender Court. Such court is conducted in closed session.

Brass Knuckles

Police said they investigated suspicious activity by a 17-year-old boy in the Newtown Shopping Village parking lot at 6 Queen Street at about 2:30 am August 25.

Police said they arrested the boy on a charge of carrying a dangerous weapon for allegedly possessing a set of brass knuckles.

After arrest processing, the boy was released into the custody of a parent for a September 8 appearance in Danbury Juvenile Offender Court. Because the boy is under age 18, his identity is shielded by state law.

Cellphone Violation

While on patrol on Church Hill Road about 12:17 pm August 23, police spotted a motorist using a handheld cellular telephone while driving, so they stopped the man near 52 Church Hill to investigate.

Police said they charged motorist Christopher Ipacs, 39, of Stratford with driving while using a handheld cellphone and also with driving while under suspension.

After arrest processing, police released Ipacs on a written promise to appear September 6 in Danbury Superior Court.

Church Hill Crash

Police report that at about 9:28 am August 24, motorist John Augustine, 58, of Milford, who was driving a 2004 Subaru Legacy station wagon westward on Church Hill Road, attempted to make a right turn into the driveway at 11 Church Hill Road, when his vehicle was struck from behind by westbound motorist Jack Rosenthal, 87, of 101 Haley Lane, who was driving a 2003 Subaru Forester station wagon.

There were no injuries. Police verbally warned Rosenthal for following too closely.

Glen Road Deer

Motorist Christy Meyer, 42, of Southbury, who was driving a 2005 Hyundai sedan southward on Glen Road about 2:21 pm August 18, collided with a deer, police said. Meyer was not injured. Police took no enforcement.

Jeep Vs Toyota

Motorist Kevin Barrett, 37, of 66 Charter Ridge Drive, who was driving a 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee sport-utility vehicle southward on Bennetts Bridge Road about 6:53 am August 25, stopped at a stop sign at that road’s intersection with Berkshire Road, police said.

At that time, motorist Robert Collins, 41, of Southbury, who was driving a 1995 Toyota Corolla sedan, was traveling eastward on Berkshire Road, police said.

As the Jeep started to drive across Berkshire Road to enter Gray’s Plain Road at the four-way intersection, the Jeep collided with the Toyota, police said. There were no injuries. Barrett received an infraction ticket for failure to grant the right of way, police report.

Arrest Warrants

On August 24, police served two arrest warrants against Michael Mottola, 46, of Trumbull, charging him with two counts of first degree failure to appear in court and with two counts of violation of a protective order.

The arrests stem a March 2006 case and a 2005 case. Police held Mottola on $60,000 bail for arraignment on the charges August 24 in Danbury Superior Court.

Forgery

State police in Bridgeport informed Newtown police on the night of August 25 that they had in custody Richie Ortiz, 35, of Bridgeport for whom Newtown police held an arrest warrant, which was issued by a judge in July 2005 concerning an April 2005 incident.

Newtown police arrested Ortiz on charges of second-degree forgery, illegal use of a credit card, and sixth degree larceny.

While he was an employee at a local gas station on April 15, 2005, Ortiz allegedly illegally used a credit card that a customer had left there, police said. Ortiz allegedly forged that customer’s signature to illegally obtain items valued at $20, police said.

After receiving a complaint, police investigated and sought the warrant. Police held Ortiz on $5,000 bail for arraignment on the charges August 28 in Danbury Superior Court.

Dog Case

After learning that police held an arrest warrant for him, Paul Allen, 49, of 1 Taunton Lake Road turned himself over to police on the evening of August 25, and was charged with failure to respond to an infraction and with allowing a dog to roam.

The original charge stems from a dog incident in November 2005. After posting $92 bail, police released Allen for a September 8 court appearance.

 

Rear-Ender

Police said motorist Tracy Watson, 32, of Southbury was driving a 1998 Subaru station wagon eastward on Church Hill Road about 8:30 pm August 19, when while slowing and attempting to turn left into the parking lot for Ice Cream Shop, the Subaru was hit from behind and pushed into the parking lot by what was apparently a red Jeep Wrangler CJ.

The Jeep’s driver then fled. There were no injuries. Police ask anyone with information about who was driving that Jeep to contact them at 426-5841.

Intersection Crash

Police report a motor vehicle accident at the intersection of Berkshire Road and Wasserman Way about 12:30 pm August 25.

The collision involved motorist Jamie Goldman, 19, of Monroe, who was driving a 1994 Ford Explorer, and motorist Kathleen Britting, 50, of Brookfield, who was driving a 2004 Toyota Prius, police said. There were no injuries.

Police gave Goldman a written warning for traveling at a speed too fast for conditions.

Altima Vs Altima

State police report that motorist Dean Briglia, 36, of 3 Chestnut Knoll Drive, who was driving a 2003 Nissan Altima sedan, was standing still at the end of the Exit 11 off-ramp for Interstate 84 at about 7:07 pm August 23, when his auto was struck from by motorist Katherine DelVecchio, 56, of 74 Taunton Lake Road, who was driving a 1998 Nissan Altima sedan.

There were no injuries. State police they warned DelVecchio for following too closely.

DUI Arrest

Police report they stopped motorist Tony Aleixo, 20, of North Charleston, S.C., for driving erratically on South Main Street at about 2 am August 27.

After investigating, police arrested Aleixo on charges of driving under the influence, failure to drive to the right, following too closely, driving without a license, and driving an unregistered vehicle.

After arrest processing, police released Aleixo on $195 bail for a September 12 court appearance.

DUI Charge

Police said they received a cellular telephone call reporting the presence of an apparently intoxicated motorist about 5:18 pm August 28, so they responded to investigate.

Police said they stopped motorist Martina Esposito, 47, of 109 High Rock Road, who had been driving on Mile Hill Road, and performed field sobriety testing, after which they charged her with driving under the influence and with a right-of-way violation. After she posted $100 bail, police released her for a September 12 court appearance.

Swimming Pool

Sometime between 5 pm on August 22, and 7:15 am on August 23, someone hurled a large rock into an in-ground swimming pool at 38 Bennetts Bridge Road in Sandy Hook, police report. Also, three other large rocks were left near the pool.

Police are investigating the vandalism and ask anyone with information on the crime to contact them at 426-5841.

 

Traffic Signal

About 2:50 pm August 27, police observed motorist Jesse Hill, 22, of Brookfield making a prohibited right turn on a red traffic signal from Queen Street onto Church Hill Road, so they stopped him to investigate.

Police charged Hill with making an illegal right turn on red and also with driving while under suspension.

After arrest processing, police released Hill on a written promise to appear in court on September 19.

Toddy Hill Crash

While traveling southward near 15 Toddy Hill Road on August 27, motorist Edward Diniz, 21, of Danbury, who was driving a 1988 Ford Mustang, lost control of the vehicle on the wet roadway and started to slide, crossed the road’s centerline and then collided with a northbound 1995 Lincoln Town Car driven by Juliann Laplocca, 71, of Sarasota, Fla., police said.

 There were no injuries. Police issued Diniz an infraction ticket on charges of driving too fast for conditions and making a restricted turn.

Dodge Vs Honda

During rainy conditions about 6 pm August 27, motorist Vello Linask, 32, of 195 Riverside Road, who was driving a 1996 Dodge Stratus sedan westward on Church Hill Road, slid into the rear end of a stopped westbound 2004 Honda Pilot driven by Lauren Weiss, 37, of Westfield, N.J., police report.

Vello Linask and Dodge passenger Hailey Linask, 10, of the same address, were transported to Danbury Hospital to be checked for pain complaints, according to police. Vello Linask received an infraction ticket for following too closely.