New Canaan Animal Control Officer Hurt in Traffic Accident

A New Canaan woman told police she was trying to get something from her purse and took her eyes off the road for a second before she hit a van, driven by Animal Control Officer Mary Ann Kleinschmitt, New Canaan police said.

According to police, Kleinschmitt, 62, said she had pain on the front of her head and neck pain from the 11:18 a.m. accident on Friday. A New Canaan police officer said he saw the accident, in which the town Animal Control van, stopped for a traffic light, was pushed 26 feet.

The driver of the SUV, Sara Marlowe, 58, of 553 Weed St., was driving a 2015 Range Rover north on South Avenue. The accident occurred at the intersection of South Avenue and Bank St., a block and a half south of New Canaan Police Headquarters, where Kleinschmitt has her office.

Kleinschmitt was treated at Norwalk Hospital. Marlowe was issued a ticket charging her with following too closely.

There was no report of any dogs in the town Animal Control van, a 2012 Dodge Ram which had severe damage to its back end.