Head-On Crash

A two-vehicle head-on collision occurred about 9 am July 10 at 75 South Main Street, near Newtown Exxon.

Motorist Shakirrya Sakinah Taft, 23, of Danbury was driving a 2003 Honda sedan northward, as motorist Susan MacMullan, 44, of Fox Run Lane South was driving a 2004 Honda SUV southward, police said.

The sedan then crossed into the opposite lane, resulting in a head-on collision, police said.

Hook & Ladder and Botsford firefighters went to the scene. Firefighters extricated Taft from the sedan.

Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps members transported both drivers to Danbury Hospital for treatment of injuries.

The accident caused travel delays in the area, resulting in detours. Police issued Taft an infraction ticket for failure to keep to the right. A photo of this accident appeared in the July 11 edition of The Bee.

Theft Charges

Police report that on the night of July 10, they arrested two men on theft charges in connection with an incident that had occurred at 45 Maplewood Trail in Pootatuck Park, Sandy Hook. Both men live at that address, police said.

Police said they charged Jeffrey Gargiulo, 18, with second-degree larceny, conspiracy to commit larceny, and theft of a credit card.

Police arrested Jesse Swift, 20, on charges of second-degree larceny and conspiracy to commit larceny. Second-degree larceny, which is a felony, involves the theft of items valued at between $5,000 and $10,000.

Police said the pair allegedly stole some electronic devices.

Additionally, police charged Gargiulo on an outstanding warrant listing the offenses of failure to respond to an infraction and sale of tobacco to a person under age 18. The warrant stems from a May 2007 incident.

Police held Gargiulo on $5,200 bail and held Swift on $5,000 bail for July 11 arraignments in Danbury Superior Court.

Man From Orange Arrested

After learning that police held a warrant for his arrest, Edward Jennings, 41, of Orange turned himself in at the police station on the afternoon of July 11 and was arrested on charges including second-degree failure to appear in court and driving while under suspension, police said.

Police said the charges stem from a July 2007 incident in which they pressed various motor vehicle charges against Jennings.

Police released Jennings on $5,000 bail for a July 22 court appearance.

 

Pickup Off Road

About 11 pm July 11, motorist Edson DeOliveira, 37, of Shelton, who was driving a 2008 Nissan Titan pickup truck, was exiting Interstate 84’s Exit 11 off-ramp, but did not stop at a flashing red traffic signal at the ramp’s intersection with Wasserman Way, police said.

The truck went through the intersection, struck a curb and then went off the road, police said. DeOliveira was not injured. Police issued him an infraction for failure to obey a traffic control signal.

I-84 DUI Arrest

State police report they observed motorist Joseph Gargano, 34, of 42 Currituck Road speeding and weaving in and out of travel lanes on Interstate 84 about 10:50 am July 7, so they stopped him to investigate.

After giving him field sobriety tests, state police charged Gargano with driving under the influence, speeding, and with failure to drive in the proper lane. Gargano was scheduled to appear in court on July 14.

Highway DUI

About 1 am July 9, state police saw motorist Kenneth Oswald, 29, of 4 Crabapple Lane traveling at high speed on the right road shoulder of eastbound Interstate 84, near Exit 9, and passing several vehicles on the right.

State police stopped Oswald to investigate, after which they arrested him on charges of driving under the influence, passing on the right, and failure to drive in the established lane.

Police released Oswald on $500 bail for a July 21 court arraignment.

Fugitive

Police report they arrested James Cobb, 46, of 280 South Main Street on July 14 on a warrant, lodging a charge of Cobb’s being a fugitive from justice.

Police said Cobb is wanted by Baltimore police on unspecified charges. After processing the arrest, police released Cobb on $50,000 bail for a July 29 appearance in Danbury Superior Court.

Marijuana Charges

About 8:13 pm July 15, police received a complaint about a speeding vehicle in the area of Marlin Road, so they went to that area to investigate.

Police said they spotted a vehicle that matched the description of the vehicle mentioned in the complaint, so they stopped it on Marlin Road to investigate.

Police said they charged Daniel Wiener, 19, of 9 Marlin Road, and also charged Charles Hawley, 19, of 46 Gelding Hill Road each with possession of less than four ounces of marijuana.

Police released each person on $100 bail for July 24 appearances in Danbury Superior Court.

Vehicle Entries

Overnight on July 8–July 9, about ten motor vehicles were illegally entered by someone in the vicinity of Buttonball Drive/Fleetwood Drive, police said. Items were stolen from three of those vehicles, police said.

Police urge that residents keep their vehicles locked when they are unattended to prevent such illegal entries.

Police are investigating and ask anyone with knowledge of who entered the vehicles to contact them at 426-5841.

MV Charges

After seeing motorist Ryan Delrossi, 20, of 68 Tomahawk Trail driving a vehicle without a front marker plate on Riverside Road at about 1:18 pm on July 14, police stopped him to investigate.

Police charged Delrossi with failure to display a front marker plate, driving with a suspended license, and illegal possession of fireworks. Police said they found two Roman candles in the vehicle Delrossi was driving.

After posting $80 bail, police released Delrossi for a July 29 court appearance.

West Street

About 4:32 pm on July 14, motorist Norman W. Clarkson, Jr, 57, of Bethel, who was driving a 2000 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck eastward on West Street, struck the rear end of a 2000 Audi A-4 sedan being driven there by Jaime K. Huppenthal, 23, of 2 Hearthstone Lane, police said.

The collision occurred at the stop sign on West Street at its intersection with Main Street. There were no injuries. Clarkson received a written warning for failure to drive a reasonable distance apart.

Explorer Off Road

About 5:15 am July 14, motorist Fernando Figueiredo, 54, of Danbury, who was driving a 2001 Ford Explorer northward near 91 South Main Street, lost control of the vehicle and skidded on the wet road, went off the street to the right, struck a mailbox and then went across the driveway at Ben’s Mason Supply and Hardware, colliding with a chain and with a pallet loaded with stacked stone, police said.

Police issued Figueiredo an infraction ticket for making an improper right turn.

Moving Violations

While on patrol about 10:49 pm July 13, police noticed an equipment violation on a vehicle that was being driven near the intersection of Wasserman Way and Oakview Road by motorist Samuel Miko, 25, of Bristol, so they stopped the vehicle to investigate.

Police charged Miko with driving with a suspended license and also with a vehicle lighting violation. Miko was released on $100 bail for a July 29 court appearance.