Newtown Police Blotter Highlights For April 3-9

NEWTOWN, CT — Collisions and a taxi fare dispute were at the top of the Newtown Police Department's blotter last week.

Vehicle Strikes Utility Pole on South Main Street

A Jeep Grand Cherokee veered off the roadway and struck a utility pole along South Main Street on the afternoon of April 7, according to Newtown police.

The crash occurred at approximately 3:26 p.m. in the area of 63 South Main Street. Police said the Jeep was traveling northbound when it left the right side of the road and collided with a utility pole owned by Frontier Communications.

The driver, identified as Dennis M. Salzbrunn of Ridgefield, was not injured. The Jeep sustained disabling damage and was towed from the scene.

Frontier Communications reported damage to pole number 715, which was shifted as a result of the impact.

Newtown Police Investigate Reported Threat

A Newtown man is facing a charge after police looked into a report of a threatening text message.

According to the Newtown Police Department, officers responded on April 2 to a complaint involving a threat sent via text. Following the investigation, Lyle Vetare, 26, of Hickory Lane, was charged with second-degree threatening.

The incident occurred on The Boulevard in Newtown around 6:10 p.m., according to the report.

Vetare was released on a promise to appear in court and is scheduled for a hearing at Danbury Superior Court on April 16.

Newtown Police Respond to Reported Dispute

A Newtown man is facing charges following a reported dispute on Farmery Lane.

Newtown police said officers responded to a residence at 1:18 p.m. on April 5 after receiving a report that a physical altercation had taken place. Upon arrival, officers conducted an investigation on the scene.

Stephen M. Marron, 63, was transported to police headquarters for processing. He faces charges of third-degree assault, second-degree threatening involving a physical threat, and disorderly conduct, respectively.

Marron was released after posting a portion of a $600 bond and was scheduled to appear at Danbury Superior Court on April 7.

Two Vehicles Towed After Intersection Collision in Newtown

Two vehicles were towed from the scene following a crash at the intersection of Hanover Road and Anthony Ridge Road on April 3, according to Newtown police.

The collision occurred at approximately 5:37 p.m., when a 2009 Subaru Forester, driven by Elizabeth Thayer Rickey of Southbury, pulled away from a stop sign on Anthony Ridge Road and entered the intersection. The Subaru struck the right side of a 2010 Nissan Frontier traveling north on Hanover Road, driven by James Tristan Walsh of Newtown.

No injuries were reported, and both drivers were wearing seatbelts. Airbags were not deployed in either vehicle.

Both cars sustained damage and were towed from the scene. The driver of the Subaru was issued an infraction, police said.

No Injuries Reported in Minor Collision on South Main Street

A minor traffic collision occurred just before 1 p.m. on April 4 along South Main Street near Pecks Lane, according to Newtown police.

Gregg T. Reinhart of Newtown was driving a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado northbound when he attempted to turn left into a driveway at 146 South Main Street. Police said Reinhart was unable to complete the turn due to his position in the roadway and began backing up, striking a 2024 Chevrolet Trax behind him.

The Trax, driven by Michael R. Cooper of Woodbury, sustained damage to its rear driver’s side.

No injuries were reported, and no airbags were deployed. Everyone involved was wearing seatbelts.

Reinhart received a written warning for unsafe backing.

Vehicle Strikes Utility Pole on South Main Street

A vehicle left the roadway and struck a utility pole on South Main Street near Kay Lane on March 24, according to a report from Newtown police.

Officers responded to the scene at approximately 2:45 p.m. and determined that the vehicle, a 2021 Toyota RAV4, had been traveling northbound before veering off the right side of the road and colliding with the pole.

The driver, identified as Ramirez Martinez of Newtown, was not injured in the incident. Airbags deployed, and the driver was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the collision. The vehicle was towed from the scene due to sustained damage.

No other vehicles were involved. The impacted utility pole, owned by Frontier Communications, was marked for repair.

Police issued a traffic infraction to the driver for making an improper turn.

Minor Parking Lot Collision Reported on Church Hill Road

A minor collision occurred in a Church Hill Road parking lot on March 12 after a vehicle struck a parked car while attempting to park, according to Newtown police.

The incident took place at approximately 11:23 a.m. outside the Mobil station. Police said a Toyota Tacoma, driven by Jason Pansa of Connecticut, was backing into a parking space when it made contact with an unoccupied 2008 Honda Civic.

Both vehicles sustained minor damage, but neither required towing. No injuries were reported.

Pansa was wearing a seatbelt, and no airbags were deployed.

Dispute Over Taxi Fare Leads to Court Summons in Sandy Hook

Police responded to a fare dispute on Washington Avenue after a taxi driver reported that a passenger failed to pay the full amount owed for the ride.

The incident occurred around 3:43 p.m. on April 2, when officers were dispatched to the scene. According to police, the passenger, identified as Victor M. Ruiz, 23, of Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y., provided only partial payment for the fare.

Ruiz was issued a misdemeanor summons for sixth-degree larceny. He is scheduled to appear at Danbury Superior Court on April 16.

Two Vehicles Towed After Collision on Church Hill Road

A two-vehicle collision on Church Hill Road near Queen Street sent one person to the hospital and left both vehicles disabled on March 28, according to Newtown police.

The crash occurred around 11:17 a.m., when a westbound Subaru Impreza attempted to make a left turn into a driveway and struck the front end of an eastbound Ford Focus, police said.

The driver of the Subaru, identified as Thomas C. Anderson of Woodbury, complained of leg pain and was transported to Danbury Hospital by ambulance for evaluation. The driver of the Ford, Ashley Lynn Russell of Newtown, did not report any injuries.

Both vehicles sustained disabling damage and were towed from the scene.

Police issued a traffic infraction to Anderson for making an improper turn.

Minor Parking Lot Collision Reported on South Main Street

A minor vehicle collision occurred in the parking lot of the Cosmic Cafe on South Main Street on March 29, according to Newtown police.

The incident took place at approximately 12:33 p.m., when a 2015 Chevrolet Suburban, driven by Caitlin E. Sancimino of Monroe, was backing out of a parking space and struck a parked, unoccupied 2021 GMC Sierra.

The GMC, registered to Michael Francois Wilson of Sandy Hook, was facing eastbound at the time. No injuries were reported, and neither vehicle required towing.

As the incident occurred on private property, police did not issue any enforcement action.

Rear-End Collision Reported on South Main Street

A two-vehicle collision occurred on April 2 in the northbound lanes of South Main Street near Mile Hill Road, according to Newtown police.

The crash took place around 5:40 p.m., when a 2008 Honda Odyssey struck the rear of a 2015 Toyota Corolla that was stopped in traffic at the intersection. The Honda continued traveling northbound until it was stopped by an officer near Hawleyville Road and Mount Pleasant Road.

No injuries were reported, and neither vehicle required towing.

The driver of the Odyssey, identified as Jose Enrique Cepeda Campoverde of Danbury, received an infraction for driving without a license. A verbal warning was also issued for following too closely, which police said contributed to the collision.

Two Vehicles Damaged in Church Hill Road Collision Near Exit 10 Ramp

A collision involving two vehicles occurred April 1 on Church Hill Road near the Interstate 84 Exit 10 westbound on-ramp, according to Newtown police.

The crash took place around 5:04 p.m. when a Ford Edge, driven by Cesar Augusto Rios of Southbury, attempted to turn left into the Blue Colony Diner parking lot. As the vehicle crossed traffic, it was struck by a Toyota Tacoma traveling in the right-turn-only lane designated for ramp access.

Both vehicles sustained damage, and the Ford required a private tow following airbag deployment. No injuries were reported.

Police issued an infraction to the Ford driver for failure to yield while making a left turn.

Two Drivers Taken to Hospital After Rear-End Collision on South Main Street

Two drivers were taken to Danbury Hospital for evaluation following a rear-end collision on South Main Street near Botsford Hill Road on March 31, according to Newtown police.

The incident occurred at approximately 4:10 p.m., when a 2012 Honda CR-V struck the back of a 2014 Nissan Altima that was stopped in traffic behind another vehicle waiting to turn left at the intersection.

Both drivers, identified as Yazmine Vallejo Umana of Bridgeport and Emily Lynn Desgro of New Milford, reported neck pain and were transported by Newtown Ambulance. Neither vehicle required towing, and both were later parked in the lot of the Botsford Post Office.

The Honda driver was issued an infraction for failing to maintain a reasonable distance, and for failure to carry a driver's license.

Driver Cited After Two-Vehicle Crash at Church Hill and Commerce Roads

A two-vehicle collision at the intersection of Church Hill Road and Commerce Road on March 30 sent one driver to the hospital and resulted in both vehicles being towed, according to Newtown police.

The crash occurred around 2:02 p.m. when a Cadillac SRX traveling eastbound on Church Hill Road entered the intersection during a red light and struck a southbound Mazda 6 that had the green signal while turning onto Church Hill Road from Edmond Road.

The front end of the Cadillac collided with the passenger side of the Mazda, which then spun and came to rest facing northbound on Commerce Road. The Cadillac came to a stop on the eastbound shoulder near the intersection.

The driver of the Mazda, identified as John Berger of Sandy Hook, was transported by Newtown Ambulance to Danbury Hospital for evaluation. The driver of the Cadillac, Donna Djonne, also of Sandy Hook, was not injured.

Djonne was cited for failure to obey a traffic signal and given a warning for operating with an expired registration.

Minor Collision Reported at Mt. Pleasant and Hawleyville Intersection

A two-vehicle crash occurred on the morning of March 28 at the intersection of Mt. Pleasant Road and Hawleyville Road, according to Newtown police.

The incident happened at approximately 9:32 a.m. when a 2024 Toyota RAV4, driven by Richard Sarfo of Ansonia, was stopped at a red light preparing to make a right turn. Police said the driver paused due to oncoming traffic. A 2014 Kia Sorento behind the Toyota failed to stop in time and struck the vehicle from behind.

The Kia was driven by Victoria Murren of Brookfield. No injuries were reported, and both vehicles were able to leave the scene without towing.

Murren received a verbal warning for following too closely.