Hawleyville Crash

A two-vehicle accident occurred in Hawleyville about 3:30 pm August 19.

Motorist Christine Berte, 55, of Bethel, who was driving a 2009 Subaru Legacy southward on Hawleyville Road, stopped at its intersection with Mt Pleasant Road and was waiting to make a right turn onto Mt Pleasant Road, when the Subaru was struck from behind by a southbound 2002 Ford F-350 pickup truck driven by Marvin Sheppard, 54, of Waterbury, police report.

There were no injuries. Sheppard received a written warning for failure to drive a reasonable distance apart, according to police.

Driving Fast

While on patrol about 5:15 pm August 19, police said they stopped motorist Hector Penaranda, 33, of Danbury near 116 Currituck Road for driving too fast.

After investigating, police charged Penaranda with traveling too fast and with driving while under suspension.

Police released Penaranda on $500 bail for an August 28 appearance in Danbury Superior Court.

 

Gym Bag

Police report that at about 8:15 pm on August 19, a black and red Sports Illustrated-brand gym bag was found near the intersection of Sugar Hill Road and Sweet Meadow Road.

The bag contained a green Nano model Apple-brand iPod digital media player, a house key attached to a yellow Newtown Bee key chain, and a brown T-shirt.

Police are holding the gym bag for safekeeping and ask the owner to contact Sergeant Darlene Froehlich or Officer Scott Smith at the police station at 3 Main Street, telephone 426-5841, to claim the gym bag.

DUI Incident

Police said they were dispatched about 2:49 am on August 22 to Wasserman Way, near the Exit 11 interchange of Interstate 84, to investigate a report of a stopped vehicle with a running engine whose driver was unresponsive.

Police said that after investigating, they charged motorist Rita Gallagher, 46, of 58 Hilldale Drive with driving under the influence.

After she posted $100 bail, Gallagher was released from custody for an upcoming appearance in Danbury Superior Court, according to police.

Truck Vs Truck

An accident involving two trucks occurred about 10:15 am August 21 at a rear loading dock for the Big Y supermarket at Newtown Shopping Village at 6 Queen Street.

Trucker Jose Barina, 28, of New Britain, who was driving a tractor-trailer truck, was parked at the loading dock, when trucker Wayne Peterson, 53, of Newburgh, N.Y., who was driving a utility truck, was attempting to back into an adjacent parking space at the same loading dock, police said.

The utility truck hit the tractor-trailer truck, police said. There were no injuries. Police took no enforcement.

Three Vehicles

Police report a three-vehicle accident involving a sedan, van, and SUV about 3 pm August 22 near 76 South Main Street.

Motorist Adam Kisler, 18, of Greenwich, who was driving a 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier sedan southward on South Main Street, stopped in preparing to make a left turn, police report.

Southbound motorist Julio Sanchez, 38, of Bridgeport, who was driving a 2003 Ford E-350 van, then stopped behind the Chevrolet, police said.

Southbound motorist Michelle Baird, 30, of New Milford, who was driving a 2004 Jeep Liberty SUV, then struck the rear end of the Ford, pushing the Ford into the rear end of the Chevrolet, police said. Hook & Ladder firefighters responded to the accident.

There were no injuries. Police report Baird received an infraction for following too closely. Police said Sanchez received an infraction for failure to carry a valid automotive insurance identification card.

Truck Hits Truck

Police report a two-truck accident on southbound South Main Street at its intersection with Mile Hill Road about 10:30 am August 19.

Trucker Marco Ferreira, 47, of Danbury, who was driving a 2003 Mack truck, drove into the rear end of a 2004 Ford 550 truck driven by Earl Erickson, 52, of Monroe, police said. There were no injuries. Police said they issued Ferreira a written warning for following too closely.

Drug Charges

State police report that at about 6:48 pm on August 18, on eastbound Interstate 84, near Exit 11, they saw a vehicle traveling on the road with a large crack in its front windshield, so they put on their emergency lights to stop the motorist to investigate.

That vehicle’s driver was then seen stuffing something beneath the driver’s seat, according to state police.

A search under the seat turned up a small bag of suspected marijuana and some narcotic-type pills, state police said.

State police then charged motorist Kyle Wakeling, 23, of Southbury with possession of less than four ounces of marijuana, and with possession of a controlled substance.

Wakeling was released on $1,000 bail for an August 31 court appearance.

MV Charges

State police report that at about 3:30 pm on August 18, they spotted James Jordan, 23, of Meriden driving a truck on eastbound Interstate 84, near Exit 10, without a vehicle registration sticker or a front marker plate, so they stopped him to investigate.

The rear marker plate on that truck was supposed to be on another vehicle, state police said. Also, Jordan was found to be driving while under suspension, according to state police. The truck was not registered and was not insured, they added. Also, Danbury police held a warrant for Jordan’s arrest.

State police said they arrested Jordan on charges including driving an unregistered vehicle, improper use of a marker plate, failure to have automotive insurance, driving with a suspended license, and failure to respond to an infraction.

Jordan is scheduled to appear in Danbury Superior Court on August 31.

Trucks Collide

At about 9 am on August 17, Dennis Rinaldi, 22, of New Milford, who was driving a 2006 Chevrolet K-1500 pickup truck westward on Interstate 84, near Exit 9, was slowing for traffic conditions, when the Chevrolet was struck from behind by Victor Rosario, 35, of Danbury, who was driving a 2006 Mack garbage truck, state police said.

There were no injuries. Enforcement information was not available.

Saturn Crash

Motorist Michael Verini, 21, of Southbury was driving a 2002 Saturn L-20 sedan westward on Interstate 84, near the Tunnel Road overpass about 5:15 pm August 17, when he lost control of the auto, and struck some guardrailing along the right road shoulder, state police said. Verini was not injured. State police said Verini failed to drive in the established lane and committed distracted driving.

Highway Collision

Two autos collided on eastbound Interstate 84, near the Tunnel Road overpass, at about 4 pm August 17, according to state police.

The collision involved motorist Alan Capasso, 57, of Shelton, who was driving a 2008 BMW 535, and motorist Alexander Jackson, 18, of Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y., who was driving a 2008 Honda Accord, state police said.

There were no injuries. State police said Jackson made an unsafe lane change.

Alcohol Incident

Police report they charged three teenagers with alcohol violations following an incident on the evening of August 15.

While conducting surveillance near Church Hill Road for an underage alcohol enforcement project, police said they spotted some youths enter a motor vehicle with a bottle of alcohol. Police then stopped the vehicle to investigate.

Police said they found an unopened 1.75-liter bottle of alcohol in the vehicle along with three people, all of whom were under age 21.

Police charged the driver with possession of alcohol by a minor and with violating passenger restrictions for drivers under age 18. Police categorized the driver as a “youthful offender,” meaning that the person is either age 16 or 17, and thus whose name is shielded from disclosure by state law.

Also, police charged each of the two passengers in the vehicle with possession of alcohol by a minor. They are: Christine Ogden, 19, of Branford; and Hannah Dziura, 18, of South Dartmouth, Mass.

Truck Theft

Police report that sometime between August 20 and the morning of August 22, someone stole a black 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck from the premises at 19 Settlers Lane.

That stolen truck was found submerged in Candlewood Lake, near the Danbury town park, police said.

Police are investigating the incident, which constitutes first-degree larceny and first-degree criminal trover. Police ask anyone with information on the theft to contact Officer Richard Monckton at the police station at 426-5841.

Hummer Vs Pole

Motorist Jerry Iodice, 51, of 8 Arlyn Ridge Road was driving a 2007 Hummer H-2 pickup truck southward in the parking lot at Newtown Shopping Village at 6 Queen Street about 9:55 am August 24, when some coffee spilled onto his lap, police said.

Iodice then looked down at the coffee, after which he looked up and pressed the truck’s brake pedal, but the vehicle collided with utility pole, police said.

Iodice was not injured. Police took no enforcement.

Multiple Charges

Police said that they stopped motorist Charles Ferris, 20, of 329 Berkshire Road for a motor vehicle violation near the intersection of Scudder Road and Sugar Street about 9:48 pm August 25.

Police said they brought in their police dog to help investigate the incident.

After investigating, police said they charged Ferris with a travel lane violation and with failure to renew a vehicle registration. Police said they also charged Ferris with possession of less than four ounces of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana with intent to sell, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Police said they held Ferris on $2,500 bail for an August 26 court appearance.

DUI Charge

Police report they received a call on the afternoon of August 25 concerning a motor vehicle that was being driven erratically in the Hattertown Road/Boggs Hill Road area, so they went there to investigate.

Police said that on Boggs Hill Road they stopped motorist Herlof Sorensen, 45, of 160 Boggs Hill Road to investigate, after which they gave him some field sobriety tests. Police said they then charged Sorensen with driving under the influence.

After processing, police released Sorensen on $50 bail for a September 3 court appearance.

Aunt Park Lane

Police report that they were notified by alarm of an attempted break-in at a home on Aunt Park Lane on the morning of August 26. Police are investigating and ask anyone with information on the incident to contact them at 426-5841.