Police Blotter: Holiday Weekend Arrests For DUIs, Fireworks—Plus Accidents and A Car Break-In

First Weekend of the Summer Season—First Car Break-In Reported

Car break-ins are an all too common phenomenon in the summer and the first weekend of the season saw the first reported car break-in in Old Lyme. The theft occurred at about 7 a.m. on Sargent Road in Old Lyme. The victim reported that her credit card and $70 was missing from her wallet. Her vehicle was unlocked at the time. Police are investigating the incident but, as always, the best advice is to lock your vehicle and don't leave valuables in the car. 

Accident Report

On May 25, Alice Sullivan, 87, of 22 Champlain Drive in Old Lyme was traveling south on Cross Lane and attempting to make a left turn onto Champlain Drive when she accelerated, missed the street, drove across the property of 23 Cross Lane and continued until she struck a tree along the north shoulder of Champlain Drive. She sustained minor injuries and was taken to Shoreline Clinic in Essex for treatment. 

May 25

Christine Stoddard, 53, of 24 Horse Pond Road in Salem was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. The arrest followed an accident on Geer Hill Road in Lyme. According to the police report, Stoddard swerved to avoid an animal and struck the wire rope guide rail off the right shoulder. No injuries were reported at the scene. 

Aaron Broughton, 30, of 33 Hillwood Drive, Niantic, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs and with failure to drive right following an accident on Four Mile River Road in Old Lyme. 

According to the police report, the accused was coming off 1-95 northbound at the exit 71 ramp when his vehicle overturned and traveled across both lanes of Four Mile River Road before striking the bank ledge. There was moderate damage to the front end of the vehicle. The driver was uninjured. Bond was set at $500.

May 26

Samuel Virden, 26, of 286 Pacific Ave., Jersey City, NJ, was charged with sale/use/possession of fireworks after Old Lyme Police were called to respond to reports of fireworks at Hawks Nest Beach at 8:45 p.m. Officers observed the accused lighting fireworks and made an arrest without incident. Eight unexploded boxes of illegal fireworks were also seized. Bond was set at $500.

East Lyme Police Department 

Ronald A. Antonio, 55, of 174 Austin Ryer Road, Branford, was arrested and charged with criminal mischief in the third degree, intimidation in the second degree based on bigotry/bias: fight, and harassment in the second degree: intimidation. 

The arrest stemmed from an East Lyme Police investigation into a vandalism complaint on Attawan Road in East Lyme that was filed on July 8, 2012. According the the police report, a vehicle was vandalized and threatening letters were sent to the victim and the victim's family. The arrest was made without incident. Bond was set at $1,000.