Crashes, Citations, and Charges Reported Across Newtown Over Busy July Week

NEWTOWN, CT — These are the highlights from the Newtown Police Department blotter for the week July 8 - 14.

Two Taken to Hospital After Crash at Hawleyville and Currituck Roads in Newtown

Two people were transported to Danbury Hospital with minor injuries following a two-vehicle collision on July 2 at the intersection of Hawleyville and Currituck roads, according to Newtown police.

The incident occurred around 3:34 p.m. when a 2020 Dodge Challenger, driven by Edward Amos of Newtown, was heading south on Hawleyville Road and began turning left onto Currituck Road. At the same time, a 2010 Cadillac CTS driven by Dorothy Fitzsimmons of Danbury was traveling west on Currituck Road and attempted to turn left onto Hawleyville Road, striking the Dodge in the intersection.

Amos’s vehicle sustained damage to the driver's side door and left front tire and was towed from the scene. Fitzsimmons’s Cadillac had front bumper damage but did not require towing.

Two passengers in the Dodge, both of Bridgeport, were evaluated for minor injuries and taken to Danbury Hospital by Newtown EMS. Fitzsimmons was not injured.

Police issued a written warning to Fitzsimmons for failure to stop at a stop sign. Amos received an infraction for operating a vehicle without minimum required insurance.

Drugs Found in Vehicle With Misused Plates in Church Hill Road Gas Station Lot

A Sandy Hook man is facing multiple charges after Newtown police found narcotics and improper license plates during a traffic stop on Church Hill Road.

According to police, officers observed a vehicle parked at the Mobil Gas Station at 62 Church Hill Road on July 12 with license plates that did not match the registration. Officers made contact with the driver, identified as Matthew Cabral, 37, of Jeremiah Road.

Further investigation revealed fentanyl and cocaine inside the vehicle, police said.

Cabral was charged with possession of a controlled substance (second offense) and improper use of a marker, license, or registration. He was released from custody and is scheduled to appear in Danbury Superior Court on July 23.

Minor Collision Reported in Queen Street Parking Lot

A minor two-vehicle collision occurred in the parking lot at 5 Queen St. on July 12, resulting in cosmetic damage to both cars but no reported injuries, according to the Newtown Police Department.

Police said a 2018 Hyundai Tucson, operated by Ines Debrito of Newtown, was traveling south through the lot around 4:52 p.m. when she attempted to turn left into a parking space next to a legally parked and unoccupied 2016 Buick Cascada owned by Karly Lynn Nejame of New Fairfield. During the maneuver, the Hyundai’s right front fender struck the left rear quarter panel of the Buick.

The Buick sustained significant scratching, scuffing, and scrapes to its left rear quarter panel and bumper, while the Hyundai was marked along its front-right side. Neither vehicle required towing, and no injuries were reported. EMS was not requested.

Because the crash occurred on private property, police did not issue any citations.

Russett Road Man Faces Charges for Failing to Register on Sex Offender List

A Russett Road man is facing two felony charges related to failure to comply with sex offender registration requirements, according to the Newtown Police Department.

Earl Cowes, 66, turned himself in to police on July 9 after a warrant was issued following an investigation by the department’s detective bureau. The investigation stemmed from a report by the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection’s Sex Offender Registry Unit.

Police said Cowes was charged with two counts of failure to register in accordance with a statute concerning individuals convicted of sexual violence offenses.

He was released on a promise to appear and is scheduled to be arraigned at Danbury Superior Court on July 23. The charges are connected to an incident reported in April on Russett Road in Sandy Hook.

Pedestrian Reports Injury After Parking Lot Incident Involving Backing Tesla on Sugar Street

A pedestrian reported a possible injury after a Tesla backed into her in a private parking lot on Sugar Street, according to Newtown police.

The incident occurred around 8:22 p.m. on June 23 at 144 Sugar St., where a 2023 Tesla Model 3, operated by Amit Mogha of Monroe, was backing out of a parking space. Maggie Elana Haber, 20, of Danbury, told police she was walking behind the Tesla when the right rear corner of the vehicle struck her right arm.

Haber said her arm was swollen but declined medical transport and exhibited no visible injuries at the scene. Mogha, who was later interviewed at his residence, told officers he did not believe his vehicle made contact and suggested Haber may have hit the car herself. Police reviewed dashcam footage from the Tesla, but the video angle made it unclear whether physical contact occurred.

Due to the incident taking place on private property and the lack of definitive evidence, no enforcement action was taken.

Newtown Man Faces Failure to Appear Charge After Noise Complaint Call

A Currituck Road man is facing a failure to appear charge following a noise complaint at his residence, according to the Newtown Police Department.

Officers responded to 11 Currituck Road around 9:30 p.m. on July 12 for a report of loud music. At the scene, police identified the resident, Mark Rodriguez, 23, as having an active warrant for failure to appear in the second degree.

Rodriguez was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Newtown Police Department for processing. He was later released after posting 7 percent of a $1,000 bond set by the court.

Rodriguez is scheduled to appear at Danbury Superior Court on July 22.

Berkshire Road Woman Cited for Disorderly Conduct Following Disturbance

A Newtown woman was issued a summons for disorderly conduct following a reported disturbance at a Berkshire Road residence Thursday night.

Officers responded to 86 Berkshire Road at approximately 8:20 p.m. on July 10 after receiving a report of a disturbance involving a man and a woman.

Following an on-scene investigation, police identified the woman as 55-year-old Paige Ramona Gowans, a resident of the home.

Gowans was transported to the Newtown Police Department, where she was cited for one count of disorderly conduct. She was released on a written promise to appear in Danbury Superior Court on July 11.

Newtown Driver Cited After Utility Pole Crash on Swamp Road

An Abbey Lane woman received a warning after crashing into a utility pole on Swamp Road, resulting in minor injuries.

A Newtown woman received a written warning after her vehicle struck a utility pole on Swamp Road Thursday evening, according to police.

The single-vehicle crash occurred around 6:40 p.m. on July 10 in the area of 32 Swamp Road. Investigators said the driver, identified as Sandhya Tedla, was traveling northeast in a 2018 Mazda CX-5 when the vehicle suddenly veered off the roadway and collided with a Frontier Communications utility pole.

Police reported that the SUV sustained heavy front-end damage, including the separation of the front right tire from its wheel. The driver's side airbag deployed upon impact. The vehicle was towed from the scene due to disabling damage.

Tedla sustained minor injuries, including lacerations and bruising on her wrists and forearms. She declined transport to the hospital after being evaluated by Newtown EMS and Botsford Fire and Rescue personnel.

Following an investigation, police determined that Tedla was at fault in the crash. She was issued a written warning for failure to maintain the proper lane of travel.

Minor Collision Reported in Newtown Parking Lot

A minor two-vehicle collision occurred on July 10 in a parking lot behind 99 South Main St., according to the Newtown Police Department.

Around 12:40 p.m., a 2013 BMW X1 driven by Ruth Mbombo of Bridgeport attempted to pull into a parking space next to a 2010 Toyota Corolla parked in a designated slot. Police said the BMW struck the left rear quarter panel of the Toyota while turning.

The Toyota, owned by Nicholas Rodia of Stratford, sustained minor damage. The BMW sustained minor damage to its front right corner. Neither vehicle was towed from the scene.

Police noted physical evidence supported that the BMW struck the parked Toyota. No injuries were reported by either driver.

Three-Vehicle Collision in Newtown Causes Injuries, Traffic Disruption

A three-vehicle collision at the intersection of Currituck and Hawleyville roads resulted in injuries to two drivers and significant vehicle damage Wednesday afternoon, according to the Newtown Police Department.

The crash occurred around 4:20 p.m. when a 2018 Hyundai Elantra, driven by David Horree of Sandy Hook, attempted to turn left onto Currituck Road and struck an oncoming 2019 Subaru Crosstrek operated by Joseph Carriero of Greenwich. The impact pushed Horree’s Hyundai into a third vehicle, a 2022 Volkswagen Atlas, driven by Flynn Langston Shipman of Old Saybrook, which had been stopped at a nearby stop sign.

Police said both the Hyundai and Subaru sustained disabling damage and were towed from the scene. The Volkswagen remained operable and did not require towing.

Horree and Carriero each reported suspected minor injuries and were treated at the scene by emergency medical personnel. Shipman was uninjured, according to the report.

Following an investigation, police issued Horree an infraction for failure to grant the right of way to oncoming traffic.

Newtown Woman Cited for Assault and Disorderly Conduct Following Dispute

A Sandy Hook woman is facing charges following a late-night dispute at a residence on Round Hill Road, according to the Newtown Police Department.

Officers responded to the address around 11:28 p.m. on July 8 and conducted an investigation at the scene. Police said Shannon Ashley Cave, 29, was issued a summons on charges of third-degree assault and disorderly conduct.

Cave was released on a promise to appear and was scheduled to appear at Danbury Superior Court on July 9. No injuries were reported, and no ambulance was called to the scene.

Rear-End Collision in Newtown Results in Vehicle Damage, Traffic Infraction

A rear-end collision on Berkshire Road near Sherman Street on July 9 resulted in disabling damage to one vehicle and a traffic citation, according to Newtown police.

The crash occurred at approximately 4:26 p.m. when both vehicles were traveling northbound. Police said the driver of a 2023 Ford Maverick slowed behind another vehicle preparing to turn left onto Sherman Street. The driver of a 2017 Toyota RAV4 was unable to stop in time and struck the rear of the Ford.

The Toyota, driven by Zachary Aidan Guilherme of Oxford, sustained significant front-end damage and was towed from the scene. The Ford, driven by Edson Rodrigues-desouza of Newtown, sustained minor rear-end damage and remained operable.

Neither driver reported injuries, and both were properly restrained at the time of the crash.

Following an investigation, police issued Guilherme an infraction for failure to maintain a reasonable distance.

Newtown Driver Cited After Vehicle Strikes Parked Town Truck on Valley View Road

A Newtown driver was cited after his vehicle struck the open door of a parked town utility truck on Valley View Road near Ridge Road on July 3, according to a report from the Newtown Police Department.

The incident occurred around 11:18 a.m. when a 2025 Nissan Sentra driven by Robert John McGuire, 66, of Newtown, approached a stationary 2014 RAM 3500 utility pickup belonging to the Town of Newtown. The truck was parked on the right side of the roadway, about 50 feet before construction signs and barriers, with the engine off and the driver’s side door open.

The town vehicle’s operator, identified as Robert M. Toth, 58, of Danbury, was standing on the ground within the doorway threshold when McGuire’s vehicle approached from behind. As McGuire moved into the opposite lane to pass the truck, the front passenger side of his vehicle struck the open door of the RAM.

Neither driver was injured, and no airbags deployed in either vehicle. Both vehicles sustained minor damage and did not require towing.

Following the investigation, police issued McGuire a written infraction for unsafe passing.

Vehicle Strikes Guardrail on Mile Hill Road and Leaves Scene, Police Seek Information

Newtown police are investigating a hit-and-run crash after a gray SUV struck a guardrail along the eastbound shoulder of Mile Hill Road near the intersection with South Main Street on the morning of July 7.

According to police, the vehicle was turning left from South Main Street onto Mile Hill Road around 7:58 a.m. when its front end made contact with the guardrail. The driver did not stop and continued traveling after the collision.

No injuries were reported, and the identity of the driver remains unknown.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Newtown Police Department at 203-426-5841.

Minor Parking Lot Collision Reported Outside Big Y

A minor two-vehicle collision occurred in the parking lot of Big Y on Queen Street on June 2, according to a report from the Newtown Police Department.

Police said a 2002 Mercedes-Benz ML320, operated by Ethan Jon Salvitti of Sandy Hook, struck a parked 2018 Audi A6 belonging to Christopher D. Ward, also of Sandy Hook. The incident occurred as the Mercedes was turning into a parking space in the side rear lot of 6 Queen St. when its front right bumper struck the rear left bumper of the unoccupied Audi.

Salvitti told police he attempted to turn into the space but misjudged the angle, causing the contact. After the impact, he reversed and parked in a nearby space. The driver left the scene without reporting the collision.

The incident was later reported by the Audi’s owner, and Big Y asset protection staff provided surveillance footage confirming the events.

The crash occurred on private property, and no enforcement action was authorized.

Two-Vehicle Crash Reported in Newtown Parking Lot Causes Minor Damage

A minor two-vehicle collision occurred on July 2 in the parking lot of the Village at Lexington Gardens on Church Hill Road, according to the Newtown Police Department.

Police said a 2018 Mazda CX-5, operated by Phoenix Sealey of Newtown, was attempting to pull into a parking space around 12:11 p.m. when the vehicle struck a 2017 Acura MDX that was already parked and unoccupied.

The front passenger side of the Mazda made contact with the same side of the Acura, damaging the bumper, headlight, and quarter panel on both vehicles. Investigators observed fresh dents, scrapes, and paint transfer at the scene.

The owner of the Acura, Amanda Carlson Stefanatos of Sandy Hook, was working nearby and was notified following the preliminary investigation.

Police did not issue any citations, noting the crash occurred on private property.