Walnut Tree Break

Police report the theft of a concrete lion statue from the front lawn of a home on Walnut Tree Hill Road, near Bridge End Farm Lane.

Sometime during the night of September 26 or the morning of September 27, someone stole the gray object, which weighed approximately 250 pounds, police said. The lion statue is 30 inches tall, 20 inches long, and 12 inches wide. It is worth about $225.

Police ask anyone with information about the missing lawn statue to contact them.

Drug Paraphernalia

Police report that on the morning of October 4, Benjamin Mattarolo, 16, of 73 Great Hill Road was searched by the Newtown High School administration at the high school and was found in possession of a marijuana pipe. Police released Mattarolo on a promise to appear October 23 in Danbury Superior Court to answer the charge.

Route 34 Crash

Motorist Chaka W. Oliver, 20, of Branford was driving a 1988 Chevrolet Corsica eastbound on Route 34 about 7 am September 30, when she momentarily took her eyes off the road and drove off the right shoulder, striking a guardpost, police said.

Oliver was not injured. Police issued Oliver a written warning for failure to drive in the established lane.

Sandy Hook Collision

Police report a two-car crash on Route 34 in Sandy Hook near Liberty Drive about 7:30 am October 2.

Motorist Zhinong Yang, 32, of 6 Charter Ridge Drive, who was driving a 1999 Honda Civic sedan eastbound on Route 34, stopped for a school bus, which was in the westbound lane, police said.

Eastbound motorist Lori J. Laird, 35, of New Milford, who was driving a 1998 Honda CRV hatchback, could not stop in time and struck the Civic from behind, police said.

The Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps transported Yang to Danbury Hospital to be checked for neck pain, police said. Police issued Laird an infraction ticket on a charge of failure to drive a reasonable distance apart.

Turning Traffic

  Police report a two-car crash at the intersection of Route 34 and Mile Hill Road about 5 pm October 1.

Motorist Christine A. McKinley, 27, of 35-A Bradley Lane, who was driving a 1999 Saturn SL-2 sedan, was stopped at the traffic signal on westbound Route 34, police said. At that time, motorist William C. Black, 44, of 301 South Main Street, who was driving a 1999 Ford Taurus, was stopped at the traffic signal on eastbound Route 34, police said.

The Saturn then attempted to turn left onto Mile Hill Road, while the Ford attempted to travel straight through the intersection, resulting in a collision. There were no injuries. The crash is under investigation, police said.

Mt Pleasant Accident

Police said motorist Jeremy C. Benson, 30, of 11 Tamarack Road, who was driving a 1998 Nissan pickup truck about 8:15 am October 5, was traveling northbound on Mt Pleasant Road in a climbing lane, near Johnnycake Lane.

At that time, motorist Judith McLean, 49, of 55 Sugar Street was driving a 1996 Ford Taurus in the northbound travel lane, police said.

As the two northbound lanes merged the near the top of a hill, the Nissan did not grant the right of way to the Ford, and the two vehicles collided, police said. There were no injuries. Police said they issued Benson a written warning for improper passing.

I-84 Accident

State police report an accident involving an automobile and a motorcycle on eastbound Interstate 84, west of Exit 9, in Hawleyville about 7 pm October 5.

 State police said motorist Margaret J. Oliger, 42, of 196 Brushy Hill Road, who was driving a 1993 Pontiac sedan, changed lanes on the highway, causing nearby motorcyclist Byron I. Viteri, who was driving a 1995 Suzuki, to lose control of the motorcycle and go into a slide on the highway. There were no injuries in the accident, state police said.

Hunting Knife

Police report that a large hunting knife was found at the intersection of Route 34 and Mile Hill Road in Sandy Hook on October 3. The owner of that knife may claim it by contacting police.

Gate Damage

Police said they learned October 7 that someone sometime between 7 pm October 6 and 9 am October 7 damaged a gate and a barrier, which are used to limit access to the D’Addario Sand and Stone surface mine at 9 Button Shop Road in Botsford. The crimes constitute second-degree criminal mischief, which involves property damage ranging between $250 and $1,500.

Police ask anyone with information about the vandalism to contact them.

Risk of Injury

Police report they charged Evan Brooks, 18, of 71 Main Street with risk of injury to a minor on the night of October 5.

Police said that while investigating an emergency 911 call that was made from 71 Main Street, they determined that Brooks was too intoxicated to provide proper care to a minor child who was left in his care.

Police released Brooks for an October 19 appearance in Danbury Superior Court to answer the charge.

Mercedes Vandalism

Police report they charged Jerry G. Iodice, 43, of 8 Arlyn Ridge Road with first-degree criminal mischief on the afternoon of October 6, following an incident at the Sand Hill Plaza parking lot on South Main Street in Botsford.

 Police said Iodice allegedly used a key to deface the paint surface on the passenger side of a 2000 Mercedes-Benz sport-utility vehicle, which was parked in the lot. Police said a verbal dispute had occurred between the owner of the vehicle and Iodice. First-degree criminal mischief involves more than $1,500 of property damage.

After processing the case, police released Iodice on a promise to appear October 18 in Danbury Superior Court to answer the charge.

 

Sugar Street

Police said that sometime between September 29 and October 6, someone entered a Sugar Street house and stole a large glass jar that contained change. The crime constitutes second-degree burglary and fifth-degree larceny. Fifth-degree larceny involves the theft of items worth between $250 and $500. The case is under investigation. Police ask anyone with information on the crime to contact them.

Lost and Found

Police report they have received items that were found on Queen Street and Church Hill Road. On Labor Day, a person found a watch on Queen Street, near the Brooks Pharmacy. Also, on August 28, a person found a bracelet on Church Hill Road.

People who are missing the lost items are asked to contact police.

VW Vs Deer

Police said motorist Patrice Heinzer, 46, of 16 Hitfield Road was driving a 1996 Volkswagen Jetta sedan on Mt Pleasant Road about 6 pm October 8, when a deer ran onto the road and struck the auto. Heinzer was not injured. There was no enforcement action.

Route 34 Accident

Motorist Frank A. Murgalo, 67, of 1 Thunder Ridge Road was driving a 2001 Honda sedan westbound on Route 34 near Thunder Ridge Road about 12:40 pm October 6, when he signaled to make a left turn and then stopped, police said.

Westbound motorist Daniel M. Scacalossi, 21, of Brookfield, who was driving a 1993 GMC van behind the Honda, was unable to stop in time and struck the Honda, police said.

There were no injuries. Police issued Scacalossi an infraction ticket on a charge of following too closely.

Hundred Acres

Police said motorist Stephen Mayka, 26, of 44 Hundred Acres Road, who was driving a 2000 Volkswagen Jetta sedan, was attempting to back out of the driveway at that address about 6 pm October 8 as motorist Anthony Blake, 26, of 15 Mt Nebo Road, who was driving a 1994 Mazda MX-3, was traveling westbound on the road.

The Volkswagen then inadvertently backed into the passing Mazda, police said. There were no injuries. Police issued Mayka a written warning for unsafe backing.

Accident

Police said motorist Jessica N. Ward, 30, of Southbury, who was driving a 1996 Volkswagen Jetta sedan, started to turn left onto Route 25 from Swamp Road about 4:50 pm October 7, when a 1998 Ford van driven by Michael Bartlomowicz, 49, of Southbury attempted to pass the Volkswagen on the right, resulting in a collision.

There were no injuries. Police said they verbally warned Bartlomowicz for unsafe movement and improper passing.

DUI Charge

Police report they observed motorist John V. Marella, 40, of Shelton driving a vehicle erratically on Church Hill Road about 10:30 pm on October 10.

Police said they stopped Marella and investigated, charging him with driving under the influence. After processing the arrest, police released Marella for an October 23 appearance in Danbury Superior Court to answer the charge.

Currituck Collision

Motorist Paul P. Corso, 58, of 8 Academy Lane was driving a 1999 Isuzu Rodeo sport-utility vehicle westbound on Currituck Road on October 5, when a deer ran into the road and collided with the vehicle, police said.

The deer died. Neither Mr Corso, nor a passenger, were injured, police said. There was no enforcement action.

Drug Charge

Police report they charged a 15-year-old boy on October 10 with possession of a controlled substance. Police did not disclose the youth’s name due to state laws that shield the identities of people under age 16 who are charged with crimes. Details on the offense were not available.

The boy is scheduled to appear in Danbury Juvenile Court on October 24 to answer the charge.