Hit Entry Gate

Newtown Police report Yarema Stasyshyn, 16, of Sandy Hook, operating a 2014 Nissan Rogue, was attempting to park in the rear lot of Newtown High School at 7:30 am November 17. Stasyshyn hit the entryway gate fence post while entering the lot.

No injuries were reported. The vehicle was not towed.

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

Rolled Forward In Drive Thru

Newtown Police report Hillary Lewis, 50, of Sandy Hook, operating a 2016 Chevrolet Traverse, was in the drive thru lane of Starbucks, 75 Church Hill Road, at 3:04 pm November 19. Her vehicle rolled forward and struck the rear of a 2014 Honda Odyssey operated by Paul Kuczo, 29, of Southbury.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

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

Backed Into Unoccupied Car

Newtown Police report Kristen Sterling, 36, of Newtown, operating a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe, was backing out of a parking spot in the lot at 32 Church Hill Road at 12:09 pm December 10. While backing, the vehicle collided with an unoccupied 2022 Toyota Corolla owned by Ashleigh Sanfanandre of Southbury.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

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

Collided With Pole

Newtown Police report Mamadu Balde, 62, of Bridgeport, was traveling northbound on South Main Street at 5:40 am December 12. Balde’s vehicle slid on the snow covered roadway, ran off the road to the right and struck an Eversource utility pole.

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

Balde was issued an infraction for failure to drive in the proper lane.

Hit Trailer

Newtown Police report Jose Dias, 50, of New Milford, operating a 2005 Acura TI, was making a left turn onto Church Hill Road from a driveway at 7:54 am December 13. Heather Kimball, 44, of Newtown, operating a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado, was making a left turn onto Church Hill Road from a driveway across the street. Dias’ vehicle collided with a trailer attached to Kimball’s vehicle.

No injuries were reported. Dias’ vehicle was towed due to disabling damage.

Both drivers were given verbal warnings for making a restricted turn.

Backed Into Each Other

Newtown Police report Carolyn Mitchel, 63, of Sandy Hook, was parked in a marked parking stall in a lot on Primrose Street at 10:40 am December 13. Geraldine Alpert, 65, of Newtown, operating a 2022 Toyota RAV4, was parked on the opposite side of the travel lane from Mitchel’s vehicle. Both drivers were in the process of backing from their spots when the passenger side rear bumper of Mitchel’s vehicle made contact with the driver’s side rear bumper area of Alpert’s vehicle, causing minor damage to both.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

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

Both Vehicles Towed From Collision

Newtown Police report Belinda Kayser, 69, of Danbury, operating a 2009 Subaru Impreza, was traveling on Mt Pleasant Road at 9:04 am December 13. Paola Monge-Guanga, 61, of Danbury, operating a 2008 Honda Civic, was attempting to make a left turn into a driveway on Mt Pleasant Road. Kayser struck Monge-Guanga’s vehicle from behind.

Kayser suffered minor injuries. Both vehicles were towed.

No enforcement action is mentioned in the report.

Rear Ended At Red Light

Newtown Police report David Burns, 31, of Bloomingburg, N.Y., operating a 2018 Toyota Corolla, was traveling northbound on South Main Street at 4:29 pm December 13. Shannon Miranda, 23, of Danbury, operating a 2021 Honda HR-V, was traveling northbound on South Main Street, ahead of Burns. Both vehicles came to a stop at the red light at the intersection of South Main Street and Mile Hill Road. Burns’ vehicle then hit the rear of Miranda’s vehicle.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

No enforcement action was taken.

Struck Fence and Tree

Newtown Police report Hannah Lee, 55, of Sandy Hook, operating a 2021 Mercedes GLC, was driving through the intersection of Horseshoe Ridge Road and Old Farm Hill Road at 4:47 pm December 13. Lee told police she hit the accelerator by mistake instead of the brake pedal, causing her to drive up a driveway, strike a fence, drive up a hill and crash into a tree. During questioning after the collision, officers reported a heavy odor of alcohol on Lee’s breath, and she failed a Standardized Field Sobriety Test. Lee admitted to officers she was driving home after a company Christmas party at the Barnwood Grill.

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

Lee was arrested on the charge of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Went Off Road, Hit Tree

Newtown Police report Rodrigo Dos Santos, 32, of Brookfield, operating a 2019 Chevrolet Express, was traveling southbound on Huntingtown Road at 7:59 pm December 14. Dos Santos went off the road and shoulder and struck a tree.

Dos Santos was transported to Danbury Hospital for unknown injuries. The vehicle was towed.

No enforcement action was mentioned in the report.

Failure To Drive In Proper Lane

Danbury Police report Daniel Greenberg, 72, of Sandy Hook, operating a 2016 Hyundai Tucson, was making a right turn out of Newtown Pizza Palace at 11:23 am December 14. Richard Gaffney, 28, of Naugatuck, operating a 1987 GM Grumman LLV, was traveling northbound on Edmond Road. The left front section of Greenberg’s vehicle struck the left front section of Gaffney’s vehicle.

No injuries were reported. Both vehicles were towed.

Greenberg was issued an infraction for operating an unregistered motor vehicle, and was given a verbal warning for failure to drive in the proper lane.

Both Injured In Crash

Newtown Police report Virginia Hettenbach, 77, of Newtown, operating a 2008 Saturn Astra, was stopped on Pecks Lane at the intersection of South Main Street at 11:34 am December 14. Margaret Fischer, 65, of Stratford, operating a 2021 Nissan Rogue, was traveling northbound on South Main Street. Hettenbach entered the intersection, and the front of Fischer’s vehicle made contact with the front of Hettenbach’s vehicle.

Both drivers were transported to Danbury Hospital for injuries. Both vehicles were towed.

The incident is still under investigation.

Stopped For Traffic, Got Hit

Newtown Police report William Larmore, 43, of New Milford, operating a 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300, was traveling north on South Main Street at 11:58 am December 14. He was traveling behind a 2021 Dodge Ram operated by Alda Feliciano, 55, of Danbury. Feliciano stopped for traffic ahead, and the front of Larmore’s vehicle struck the rear of Feliciano’s vehicle.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

Larmore was giving a verbal warning for failure to drive a reasonable distance apart.

Improper Turn

Newtown Police report Isabel Delarosa, 53, of Monroe, operating a 2015 GMC Acadia, was traveling northbound on South Main Street, at 2:24 pm December 14. Carol Barnes, 69, of Newtown, operating a 2000 Jeep Cherokee, was traveling southbound on South Main Street. Delarosa turned left into the Plaza South parking lot and the front right corner of Barnes’ vehicle struck the right side of Delarosa’s vehicle.

No injuries were reported. Both vehicles were towed.

Delarosa was issued an infraction for making an improper turn.

Ford Hits Mercedes

Newtown Police report Tanner Trede, 19, of Sandy Hook, operating a 2015 Ford Fusion, was traveling eastbound on Wasserman Way at 4:20 pm December 14. He was traveling behind a 2012 Mercedes-Benz C300 operated by Valterlicio Divino-Leandro, 47, of Bethel. Trede’s vehicle hit Divino-Leandro’s vehicle from behind.

Divino-Leandro was evaluated by EMS for injuries but declined transport. Neither vehicle was towed.

Trede was issued a verbal warning for failure to drive a reasonable distance apart.

Left Turn Collision

Newtown Police report Rosalind Lijengren, 72, of Newtown, operating a 2015 Subaru Crosstrek, was traveling northbound on South Main Street at 2:18 pm December 15. Charles Ragault, 23, of Fairfield, operating a 2014 Audi A6, was traveling southbound on South Main Street. Lijengren attempted to make a left turn onto Country Club Road when his vehicle collided with the driver’s side of Ragault’s vehicle.

No injuries were reported. Both vehicles were towed.

Liljengren was issued an infraction for failure to grant right of way while turning left.

Hit Turning Vehicle

Newtown Police report Evan Latte, 26, of Newtown, operating a 2009 Hyundai Accent, was traveling west on Mt Pleasant Road at 3:28 pm December 16. He was traveling behind a 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee operated by Deborah Maguzu, 53, of Newtown. Maguzu stopped for a vehicle ahead that was turning left onto Mt Pleasant Terrace, and Latte’s vehicle struck the rear of Maguzu’s vehicle.

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

Latte was given a verbal warning for failure to drive a reasonable distance apart.

Backed Into Vehicle

Newtown Police report Victor Degirolamo, 59, of Sandy Hook, operating a 2010 Mazda CX-7, was backing from a parking position on South Main Street at 6:31 pm December 16. Kevin Walsh, 62, of Monroe, operating a 2014 Mazda 6 Touring, parked behind Degirolamo. Degirolamo’s driver’s side rear bumper struck Walsh’s passenger’s side rear tail light.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

No enforcement action was taken.

Erratic Operator Arrested

Newtown Police report that at 2:07 pm December 17, they received a report from Bethel Police Department with regards to a vehicle traveling erratically southbound on Mt Pleasant Road. Newtown Police found the vehicle and initiated a traffic stop. Upon investigation, police saw the vehicle was traveling on a shredded front tire. Police identified the driver as Mark Manley of Newtown, and that Manley had a suspended license.

Manley was given a misdemeanor summons for reckless driving and operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license.

The vehicle was towed from the scene.

Head-On Collision

Newtown Police report John Stauss, 55, of Fairfield, operating a 2016 Toyota Highlander, was traveling westbound in a driveway on Main Street at 4:36 pm December 16. Robert Chmiel, 49, of Milford, operating a 2014 Cadillac SRX, was traveling northbound on Main Street. Chmiel slowed his vehicle and attempted to turn right into the driveway when Stauss struck his vehicle head-on.

No injuries were reported. Stauss’ vehicle was towed.

No enforcement action was taken.

Larceny Arrest

Newtown Police report that officers responded to a residence on Brushy Hill Road for the report of a dispute in progress at 4:22 pm December 18, regarding the theft of a cell phone. After an investigation, Karen Jensen, 56, of Newtown, was arrested on the charges of fifth-degree larceny, interfering with an officer, and second-degree breach of peace.

Jensen was released on a $1,000 bond with a court date of December 30 in Danbury Superior Court.

Cell Phone Found

Newtown Police report that at 4 pm December 19, a cell phone was discovered in the proximity of Castle Hill Road and Taunton Lake Road, and was brought to Newtown Police Department.

Contact the Newtown Police Department to retrieve the property.

Pickup Strikes SUV

Newtown Police report Richard Betts, 51, of Haddam, operating a 2018 Ford F150, was stopped on Key Rock Road at the Sugar Street intersection stop sign at 5:36 pm December 19. He was behind a 2010 Subaru Outback operated by William Ticehurst, 71, of Brookfield. Ticehurst began to move forward but stopped again. The front of Betts’ vehicle struck the rear of Ticehurst’s vehicle.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

Betts was given a verbal warning for failure to drive a reasonable distance apart.