Motor Vehicle Charges

Police said they went to the home of Barbara Bellemare, 41, of 138 Underhill Road about 8:30 am on February 16, in seeking to serve an arrest warrant against her on charges of second-degree failure to appear in court, driving with a suspended license, and traveling too fast for conditions. The motor vehicle charges stem from a July 2006 incident on Pole Bridge Road.

Bellemare did not answer the door, police said. Police said that later that morning they spotted Bellemare driving a sedan in Sandy Hook and heading toward Interstate 84, so they stopped her and charged her on the warrant that they had tried to serve to her earlier that day.

Police said they then charged Bellemare with an additional count of driving with a suspended license for driving on February 16.

Following processing at the police station, Bellemare was arraigned on the four charges that day in Danbury Superior Court, police said.

iPod Thefts

On February 17, a boy under age 16, accompanied by his father, went to the police station and turned himself over to police after learning that they held a warrant for his arrest.

Police charged the boy with fourth-degree larceny and with conspiracy to commit fourth-degree larceny in connection with a past incident at Newtown High School in which the boy allegedly stole some iPod personal digital music players.

Fourth-degree larceny involves the theft of items worth between $500 and $1,000. Police released the boy on a written promise to appear March 5 in Danbury Juvenile Court. State law shields the identities of people under age 18 who are charged with crimes.

I-84 DUI

State police report that at about 4 pm February 17, motorist Ganiyu Bilewu, 49, of Waterbury, who was driving a Mercury Villager minivan westward on Interstate 84, west of Exit 9, fell asleep at the wheel and then struck some metal guard railing.

Bilewu was not injured. After investigating, police charged Bilewu with driving under the influence and failure to drive in the established lane. Bilewu was scheduled to appear in Danbury Superior for arraignment on the charges.

Snowy Conditions

State police said motorist Krystyna Kuczynski, 25, of Monroe, who was driving a 2000 Nissan Altima eastward on Interstate 84, east of Exit 10, about 2 pm February 14, when she crashed into some metal guard railing. Kuczynski was not injured. She received a warning for traveling too fast for conditions.

I-84 Crash

About 3:36 pm February 14, in snowy conditions, motorist Howard Bustillos, 38, of Bronx, N.Y., who was driving a 1998 Ford Expedition sport-utility vehicle westward on Interstate 84, west of Exit 9, changed lanes and struck trucker Richard Ellis, 49, of Westfield, N.Y., who was driving a tractor-trailer unit, state police said. 

The Ford Expedition then spun out and rolled onto its left side on the highway median, state police said. The accident caused travel delays. Hawleyville and Newtown Hook & Ladder firefighters responded to the accident.

Newtown ambulance volunteers transported Bustillos and Ford passenger Israel Garcia, 31, of Bronx, N.Y., to Danbury Hospital to be checked for injuries, state police said.

Bustillos made an unsafe lane change and was driving without a license, according to state police.

DUI Charge

Police said motorist Gregory Hanson, 42, of 15 Evergreen Road traveled through a red traffic signal at the intersection of Queen Street and the main entrance to Newtown Shopping Village on the night of February 19, so they stopped him to investigate.

Police charged Hanson with driving under the influence and with failure to obey a traffic signal. After processing, Hanson was released on $50 bail for a March 6 court appearance.

Tractor-Trailer

Police report a collision between a tractor-trailer truck and a sedan at the intersection of Edmond Road and Church Hill Road about 9 am February 19.

Police said trucker Anthony Penrod, 46, of Burlington, Iowa, who was driving a 2001 Freightliner southward on Edmond Road, pulled out onto Church Hill Road and then collided with westbound motorist Foday Pons, 43, of West Haven, who was driving a 1996 Volvo 850 sedan there.

Penrod told police that sun glare prevented him from seeing the Volvo. There were no injuries. Penrod was verbally warned for failure to grant the right of way.

Probation Violation

On February 20 in Danbury, state police stopped motorist John Commins, 43, of Danbury for a motor vehicle violation, after which they learned that Newtown police held an outstanding arrest warrant on Commins.

Newtown police then took custody of Commins and charged him with violation of probation in connection with a 2002 incident in Newtown in which Commins was charged with driving under the influence, Newtown police said.

Police held Commins on $5,000 bail for a February 21 arraignment in Danbury Superior Court on the violation of probation charge.

Vehicular Violations

Early on the morning of February 19, police said they stopped motorist Jose Lima, 29, of Bridgeport on South Main Street to investigate.

Police said they charged Lima with driving an unregistered vehicle and with driving a vehicle without a license. Police said that they had the vehicle which Lima had been driving towed away due to the violations.

Glen Road

Police report that on the afternoon of February 20, they spotted motorist Kevin Yacko, 42, of 22 Hyvue Drive, driving a vehicle with brake light problems on Glen Road in Sandy Hook, so they stopped him to investigate.

Police charged Yacko with failure to have functioning brake lights and with driving with a suspended license.

After he posted $100 bail, police released Yacko for a March 7 court appearance.

School Bus Accident

About 7 am February 12, motorist Brittany Pasko, 17, of 11 Currituck Road, who was driving a 2005 Jeep Liberty, stopped at a stop sign on southbound Currituck Road at its intersection with Main Street and was waiting to enter Main Street, police said.

At that time, James Tomasetti, 52, of 301 South Main Street, was driving a school bus, which was carrying several students, southward on Main Street, police said.

 The Jeep then attempted to enter Main Street, but collided with the bus, police said. There were no injuries, according to police.

Police verbally warned Pasko for a stop sign violation.

Icy Conditions

Motorist Michele McLeod, 50, of 22 Still Hill Road was driving a 2004 Subaru Forester northward on an icy Toddy Hill Road, near Curtis Corporate Park, about 7 am February 21, when she lost control of the vehicle, went off the right road shoulder and then struck several small trees, police said.

Sandy Hook firefighters responded to the accident. Ambulance volunteers transported McLeod to Danbury Hospital to be checked for injuries, police said. Police took no enforcement due to icy road conditions.

Parmalee Hill Road

About 12:45 am February 20, motorist Matthew Leefers, 18, of 30 Saw Mill Road was driving a 1989 Honda Accord sedan northward on a dry Parmalee Hill Road, when he descended a hill then failed to negotiate a left curve in the road, police said.

The auto went off the road and struck two utility poles, police said. Neither Leefers nor an 18-year-old passenger were injured, according to police.

Police issued Leefers an infraction ticket for making a restricted turn.