Struck Parked Car

Newtown Police report Michael Maldonado, 33, of Danbury, operating a 2020 BMW 330XI, was leaving the parking lot of 19 Main Street at 9:41 pm October 3. While turning onto Main Street, Maldonado struck a 2015 Subaru Crosstrek parked along the northbound shoulder, which was then pushed forward into the rear of a 2014 Jeep Patriot parked in front of it.

No injuries were reported. Both vehicles were towed.

Maldonado was issued an infraction that was not identified in the report.

Multi-Car Crash Under Investigation

Newtown Police report Besmir Mujovic, 32, of Thomaston, operating a 2016 Toyota Tundra, was traveling northbound on South Main Street at 1:08 am October 10. Daniel Vaeth, 19, of Trumbull, operating a 2023 Nissan Rogue, was traveling southbound on South Main Street, while Asmat Katty Soto, 44, of Stamford, operating a 2008 Acura MDX, was traveling southbound on South Main Street behind Vaeth.

Mujovic's vehicle crossed over the dividing line and struck Vaeth's vehicle on its passenger side. Vaeth's vehicle rolled onto its driver side and came to rest on the shoulder of the northbound lane. Mujovic's vehicle continued in the southbound lane and struck Soto's vehicle head on. Mujovic's vehicle rolled onto its roof and then struck a mailbox and a Frontier utility pole. The Tundra came to rest on its roof in the shoulder of the northbound lane.

All operators, and the passenger from Vaeth's vehicle, were transported to Danbury Hospital by ambulance for injuries. All three vehicles were towed due to disabling damage.

Newtown Police note that the cause of the incident remains under investigation.

Failure To Grant Right Of Way

Newtown Police report Silvana Kocovic, 36, of Hopewell, N.Y., operating a 2022 Toyota Highlander, was traveling northbound on Hattertown Road at 5:32 pm October 11. She stopped at the stop sign to Dodgingtown Road, waiting to make a left-hand turn westbound onto Dodgingtown Road. Kocovic told police she believed the roadway was clear and began to make the turn when Keeley Green, 20, of Newtown, operating a 2015 Nissan Rogue, came out of nowhere and struck her vehicle.

Green told police she was traveling eastbound on Dodgingtown Road when she began to negotiate the curve left onto Sugar Street, at the intersection of Hattertown Road. Green said a vehicle in front of her turned right, onto Hattertown Road, and she noticed Kocovic's vehicle heading straight for her. Green stated she attempted to stop but could not, and Kocovic's vehicle struck her vehicle.

Green and a passenger in the Nissan reported general soreness. Both were transported to Danbury Hospital by Newtown Ambulance.

A witness traveling directly behind Green's vehicle told police Green had the right of way traveling eastbound on Dodgingtown Road and that Kocovic's vehicle, which had a stop sign, pulled directly into Green's path, causing the incident.

Newtown Police determined Green had the right of way. Kocovic was issued a verbal warning for failure to grant right of way at a stop sign.

Contested Bus Incident

Newtown Police report Shantice Powell, 42, of Waterbury, operating a 2017 IC Bus CE Series, was parked facing southbound in the parking lot of Newtown High School at 4:19 pm October 17. Daniel Straborny, 21, of Shelton, operating a 2014 Blue Bird Vision school/transit bus, was pulling out of a parking space when the middle right side of Powell's vehicle struck the front driver side mirror of Straborny's vehicle.

Straborny told police he was pulling out and checking his mirrors to make sure he was clear; he checked his right mirrors as he was turning out. He also told the responding officer it looked like he still had room and was turning slowly. Powell told Straborny that he hit her vehicle's mirrors a little, according to Straborny. He said he checked her vehicle, didn't see any damage, and it didn't look like his vehicle hit it. Straborny told police he thought he cleared it.

Powell told police her vehicle was parked in the lot. She said it is technically not Straborny's fault with how drivers are told to park their buses, and could already see Straborny was going to have a problem. Powell added she was hoping all of the other buses went out first. She said she started beeping as soon as she saw Straborny's vehicle pull out. Powell added, while pointing at Straborny's vehicle, that they could see the scrape from her mirror.

No injuries were reported. No vehicles were towed.

No enforcement was issued since the incident occurred on private property.

Three Charges

Newtown Police report officers conducted a traffic stop on a tan Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck in the Big Y parking lot at 3:03 pm October 20, after observing the vehicle displaying a Connecticut historical registration plate assigned to a different vehicle.

The operator, identified as Drew Larowe, 37, of Newtown, was found to have a suspended driver's license. A vehicle registration inquiry also revealed that the Silverado's registration had been canceled in 2018.

Larowe was taken into custody and transported to Newtown Police Department headquarters for processing. He was charged with operation of a motor vehicle while license is suspended and subsequent offenses, improper use of a marker plate, and illegal operation of a motor vehicle without minimum insurance.

Larowe was released on a $500 non-surety bond and is scheduled to appear on November 9 in Danbury Superior Court.

Failure To Obey Signal By Officer

Newtown Police report a one-car collision occurred at 11:03 pm October 20 on South Main Street. The incident was reported by an officer on a road job.

Robert Blanchard, 38, of Fairfield, operating a 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee, was traveling northbound on South Main Street. Blanchard told police as he approached a construction zone, he was directed to cross into the opposite travel lane. Blanchard's vehicle then returned back to the northbound lane and subsequently drove into a hole in the road due to construction. Blanchard stated he was directed into the other travel lane due to a lane closure. He also stated he was blinded by construction lights and did not see the traffic pattern or the officer directing traffic. Blanchard's vehicle sustained damage to its front left tire as a result of removal from the hole in the roadway.

No injuries were reported. The Grand Cherokee was towed due to disabling damage.

The officer on scene stated that Blanchard disregarded his traffic control, maneuvered past his police cruiser and his verbal order to stop, and subsequently drove into the closed travel lane and into the hole.

Blanchard was issued an infraction for failure to obey any signal given by a fire or police officer directing traffic.

Uninsured, Suspended Registration

Newtown Police report during a routine motor vehicle stop at 11:20 pm October 20 Ariel Taveras Rodriguez, 30, of Bridgeport, was operating a motor vehicle with a suspended registration and without minimum insurance. Taveras Rodriguez was issued a misdemeanor summons for operation of a motor vehicle while registration is suspended and illegal operation of a motor vehicle without minimum insurance.

Taveras Rodriguez was released on a promise to appear, and is scheduled to appear on November 4 in Danbury Superior Court.

Struck Parked, Unoccupied Trailer

Newtown Police report Robert Smith, 85, of Newtown, operating a 2016 Ford F150, was traveling eastbound on Sunset Hill Road at 10:39 am October 21 and hit the rear of a trailer which was attached to the rear of a 2014 Dodge Ram owned by the Town of Newtown. The Ram was parked and unoccupied in the westbound travel lane.

No injuries were reported. No vehicles were towed.

No enforcement was issued.

Suspended License, Equipment Violations

Newtown Police report officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle at 11:17 am October 22 due to several equipment violations and the registered owner having a suspended license. The registered owner was then identified as Deshone Cummings, 47, of Trumbull. He was charged with operating with a suspended license, operating a motor vehicle without tint inspection, and obscured registration plates.

Cummings was released after posting seven percent of a $5,000 bond and given a court date of November 5 in Danbury Superior Court.

Struck Unoccupied Vehicle

Newtown Police report a 2022 Hyundai Tucson was parked unoccupied in a clearly marked parking space in the Big Y parking lot at 12:29 pm October 22. Jan Myslik, 94, of Redding, operating a 2001 Volvo S60, attempted to back into a neighboring parking space. The rear end of the Volvo struck the left rear end of the Hyundai.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

No enforcement was issued since the incident occurred on private property.

Hit Deer

Newtown Police report Edward Dellavecchio, 59, of Shelton, operating a 2006 Buick LaCrosse, was traveling southbound on Mount Pleasant Road when he struck a deer at 9:37 pm October 22. Dellavecchio stated he heard a loud bang and knew he had run something over, but was not aware that it was a deer until he pulled over and observed the deer in the middle of the road. Dellavecchio stated that the deer must have run out in front of his car too fast for him to be able to react to it and avoid the collision.

The reporting officer observed the deer to be deceased on impact and that Dellavecchio's vehicle had minor damage. Dellavecchio called roadside assistance, which sent a technician to determine if his vehicle was drivable.

No injuries were reported. The reporting officer said it was unknown if Dellavecchio's vehicle was towed from the scene.

No enforcement was authorized, as police determined the collision with the deer was unavoidable and not caused by any driver actions.

Drugs, Loaded Firearms In Unresponsive Driver's Vehicle

Newtown Police report that at approximately 11:57 pm October 22, officers responded to the intersection of Meadow Brook and Huntingtown Roads for a report of an unresponsive driver in a vehicle that was stopped in the roadway. Upon arrival, officers located and identified Daniel Dineen, 35, of Redding, as the driver of the vehicle.

Officers conducted an investigation, whereby they discovered various narcotics and multiple loaded firearms inside the vehicle. Dineen was placed under arrest for driving under the influence of drugs, possessing a firearm while under the influence of drugs, possession of a controlled substance, possession of an assault weapon, possession of a silencer, and possession of large capacity magazines.

Dineen was processed at Newtown Police Headquarters and held on a $75,000 bond with a court date of October 23 in Danbury Superior Court. He remained in custody as of October 28. He has a pre-trial appearance scheduled for November 4.

Failure To Drive On The Right

Newtown Police report a two-vehicle motor vehicle collision occurred in the area of South Main Street and Swamp Road at 8 am October 23. Amanda Lopez, 27, of Stratford, operating a 2026 Toyota Corolla, was traveling northbound on South Main Street when the vehicle crossed the double yellow centerline and sideswiped a 2025 Toyota Sequoia being operated by Enrique Puebla, 52, of Newtown.

Lopez stated she observed what she believed to be an object extending from the shoulder into the roadway. In response, Lopez swerved her vehicle to the left, crossed the double yellow centerline, and struck Puebla's vehicle. Puebla confirmed he was traveling southbound on South Main Street when Lopez's vehicle briefly crossed into the southbound lane and struck his vehicle.

No injuries were reported. Both vehicles sustained minor damage, but were not towed.

Lopez was issued an infraction for failure to drive on the right.

Suspended License

Newtown Police report during a routine motor vehicle stop at 12:30 pm October 23 an officer determined Zachary Leonard, 23, of Danbury, was operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license.

Leonard was issued a misdemeanor summons for operation of a motor vehicle under suspension.

Leonard was released on a promise to appear and is scheduled to appear on November 4 in Danbury Superior Court.

Crash In School Parking Lot

Newtown Police report a two-car motor vehicle crash occurred in between parking lanes in the southwest corner of St Rose of Lima School's parking lot at 7:44 pm October 23.

Kyle Gambino, 31, of Wellington, Fla., operating a 2024 GMC Sierra, was traveling west and attempting to enter a parking space, with the intent to park in it. Stephanie Huancayo, 35, of Salisbury, operating a 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee, was traveling south through the parking lot. Before the Sierra entered the parking space, the front of the Grand Cherokee struck the passenger side of the Sierra.

Huancayo stated she was lost and attempting to locate Newtown Emergency Animal Hospital, to seek treatment for her dog, which was experiencing a severe allergic reaction. Huancayo stated she did not see Gambino's vehicle before the collision. Gambino stated he and his passenger believed the school's Trunk-or-Treat event taking place in the southeast corner of the parking lot was a carnival. Gambino said he and his passenger wanted to park and attend the event, and that he did not see Huancayo's vehicle before the collision.

Huancayo's vehicle had damage in the areas of the front bumper, grill, and hood, while Gambino's vehicle had damage to the passenger doors and side. The reporting officer observed fresh dents, scrapes, and matching paint transfer on both vehicles in the areas indicated.

School security cameras captured the crash from two points of view. The video footage showed the event as described by both operators. Both vehicles maintained a straight path of travel and neither vehicle made an attempt to slow down or avoid the other prior to the crash.

No injuries were reported. Neither vehicle was towed.

No enforcement was issued since the incident occurred on private property.

Misdemeanor Summons

Newtown Police report during a routine motor vehicle stop at 8:34 pm October 25 an officer determined Matthew Milsap, 42, of Bethel, was operating a motor vehicle with a suspended operator's license. Milsap was issued a misdemeanor summons for operation of a motor vehicle while license is suspended.

Milsap was released on a promise to appear and is scheduled to appear on November 5 in Danbury Superior Court.

Disorderly Conduct

Newtown Police report officers were dispatched to a residence at Wendover Road for a report of a disturbance at 8:56 pm October 26. Upon arrival, an on scene investigation was conducted and Richard Labash, 69, of Newtown, was taken into custody. Labash was transported to Newtown Police Department, where he was charged with disorderly conduct.

Labash was assigned the next available court date of October 27 in Danbury Superior Court. He plead not guilty and has been assigned a pre-trial date of November 17.