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The latest incident happened around 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 3 when a Fairfield Police Traffic Enforcement Sergeant was struck by an allegedly drunk driver while working a State DUI Grant on Old Post Road near South Benson Road.
"This Grant is entirely dedicated towards the identification and removal of reckless and drunk drivers from the roadways," Fairfield Police said.
Fairfield Police Emergency Communications Center received a radio transmission from the sergeant that he had just been involved in a motor vehicle collision.
The striking vehicle crossed over the double yellow lines while traveling east bound on the Old Post Road, causing the sergeant to perform a proactive avoidance maneuver to minimize the impact, Fairfield Police said.
The striking vehicle sideswiped the police vehicle and immediately fled the scene, said Fairfield Police.
The sergeant radioed for assistance, then followed the striking vehicle which pulled to the side of the road a couple hundred yards away where a motor vehicle stop was initiated.
The operator of the vehicle, identified as Erin Daley, 30, of Norwalk, was not injured during the accident, police said.
Additionally, the front seat passenger in her vehicle was not injured.
At police headquarters, a chemical analysis found Daley’s blood alcohol content to be nearly three times the legal limit, according to Fairfield Police.
After a police investigation of the incident, Daley was arrested and charged with:
- driving under the influence,
- evading responsibility,
- failure to maintain proper lane
She was released after posting a $1,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday, Sept. 29.
Fortunately, the Sergeant was not injured and both vehicles sustained minor damage.
The other recent incident involving an alleged drunk driver hitting a Fairfield PD vehicle happened at about 5:15 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 20, when woman charged with driving under the influence crashed into the back of the police cruiser that had pulled another driver over on Post Road.
Sharon Elizabeth Lipp, 68, of Milford, was charged with DUI, failure to drive right, distracted driving and failure to slow down.
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