Turkey Fryer Fire Destroys $4M Weston Mansion on Thanksgiving; Family of 20 Escapes Turkey Fryer Fire Destroys $4M Weston Mansion on Thanksgiving; Family of 20 Escapes
Turkey Fryer Fire Destroys $4M Weston Mansion on Thanksgiving; Family of 20 Escapes A Connecticut mansion valued at more than $4 million was destroyed by fire on Thanksgiving as a family of 20 was about to sit down to enjoy their holiday meal, authorities said. The fire ignited shortly before 4 p.m. in Fairfield County at a two-story, nearly 9,300-square-foot residence in Weston on Weston Road, near the intersection with Broad Street. All occupants escaped unharmed, Weston firefighters reported. On the rainy Thanksgiving afternoon of Thursday, November 28, 2024, most firefighters in lower Fairfield County were... Posted by Sayje Benjamin on Friday, November 29, 20…
Thanksgiving Day Crash Sends Driver To Hospital After Vehicle Plunges Off Hutchinson Parkway Thanksgiving Day Crash Sends Driver To Hospital After Vehicle Plunges Off Hutchinson Parkway
Thanksgiving Day Crash Sends Driver To Hospital After Vehicle Plunges Off Hutchinson Parkway A Thanksgiving Day crash on the Hutchinson River Parkway in Westchester County left a driver hospitalized after their vehicle veered off the roadway into a wooded area, according to authorities. The incident happened just before 9 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 28, prompting a large emergency response from fire departments in Purchase and Port Chester, as well as EMS teams from Port Chester and Rye Brook. Firefighters arrived to find the vehicle deep in the woods, requiring stabilization and extrication efforts to free the trapped driver, according to the Purchase Fire Department. To assist w…
IT Manager Who Used Low-Tech Hack to Embezzle $2M From CT Business Headed to Prison: Feds IT Manager Who Used Low-Tech Hack to Embezzle $2M From CT Business Headed to Prison: Feds
IT Manager Who Used Low-Tech Hack to Embezzle $2M From CT Business Headed to Prison: Feds A Connecticut man will spend two years in federal prison after stealing nearly $2 million from his employer and dodging hundreds of thousands in taxes over a seven-year scheme, authorities said. Evan Bobzin, 39, of Chester, was sentenced to 24 months behind bars, followed by three years of supervised release, after admitting to embezzling $1.9 million from Hoffman’s Gun Center in Newington, where he worked as head of information technology, according to the US Attorney for Connecticut. Prosecutors said Bobzin used his insider access to methodically steal cash receipts from the store's safe …
Fairfield County Man Accused Of Attempted Identity Theft At Bank Fairfield County Man Accused Of Attempted Identity Theft At Bank
Fairfield County Man Accused Of Attempted Identity Theft At Bank A man was caught in Connecticut after allegedly using a fake driver’s license to try to access another person’s bank account information at a local bank, according to police. The incident occurred on Friday, Nov. 22, at approximately 3:40 p.m., when Oxford Police responded to the bank after a report of suspicious activity. Officers found a man, later identified as Oronde S. Homan, age 42, seated at the customer service desk.  Police said no other customers were present at the time. According to authorities, a bank employee told officers that Homan presented a Connecticut driver’s lice…
Duo Accused Of Stealing Cooking Oil From Businesses In CT: Police Duo Accused Of Stealing Cooking Oil From Businesses In CT: Police
Duo Accused Of Stealing Cooking Oil From Businesses In CT: Police Two men are facing charges in Connecticut after allegedly stealing over 100 gallons of cooking oil from multiple businesses, police said. The incidents leading to the arrests began in Windham County just before 5:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 27, when a business on Providence Turnpike in Brooklyn reported an active larceny, according to Connecticut State Police. The person who called in the incident reported seeing the suspects in a white van with a temporary New Jersey registration taking cooking oil from several businesses and restaurants. The complainant then followed the van to a parking l…
4th Stamford Suicide In Week Has Police Alarmed, Officers Offer Support 4th Stamford Suicide In Week Has Police Alarmed, Officers Offer Support
4th Stamford Suicide In Week Has Police Alarmed, Officers Offer Support Stamford Police are asking residents to reach out to their loved ones to check on them after four residents have committed suicide over the past week.  Assistant Chief Richard Conklin said a spike like this is unheard of for the Fairfield County town. For context, Stamford had three suicides for the entire year in 2022, two in 2023, and only one in 2024 until this past week.  "I've never seen anything like it during my time with the department," Conklin said.  With the holidays approaching, Conklin worries the trend could continue.  "The holidays tend to exacerbate or …
Man Killed In 4-Car Crash, Snarling Traffic On Merritt Parkway In New Canaan Man Killed In 4-Car Crash, Snarling Traffic On Merritt Parkway In New Canaan
Man Killed In 4-Car Crash, Snarling Traffic On Merritt Parkway In New Canaan A man was killed following a multi-vehicle collision that caused lengthy delays on a busy Connecticut highway. The crash happened in Fairfield County on Tuesday, Nov. 26 just after 3 p.m., when four vehicles became involved in an incident on the northbound Merritt Parkway (Route 15)  in New Canaan just before Exit 37, Connecticut State Police announced on Wednesday, Nov. 27. According to authorities, the incident began when a 2015 Lexus 350 RC struck a 2020 Kia Forte in the right lane that had been slowing down. The Kia then hit the 2015 Ford F-150 pickup it had been traveling behind i…
Norwalk Man, 2 Others Caught With Gun, Drugs After Threatening Group Norwalk Man, 2 Others Caught With Gun, Drugs After Threatening Group
Norwalk Man, 2 Others Caught With Gun, Drugs After Threatening Group Three men, including a Fairfield County resident, are facing charges after officers found them with a loaded handgun and drugs after they allegedly threatened a group with a firearm in Westchester, officials said. The incident began on Sunday morning, Nov. 24, when witnesses flagged down Port Chester officers while they were on patrol on North Main Street, according to the department.   Witnesses reported a man menacing a group with a firearm, and as officers approached the area near Abendroth Avenue, they also pointed out a vehicle leaving the scene. Police then pulled it over an…
Wrong-Way Driver Apprehended After I-95 DUI Crash In Darien: Police Wrong-Way Driver Apprehended After I-95 DUI Crash In Darien: Police
Wrong-Way Driver Apprehended After I-95 DUI Crash In Darien: Police Connecticut State Police say a wrong-way driver caused a multi-car crash on I-95 that led to his arrest. Troopers from Troop G in Fairfield County responded to the northbound lanes near the Darien rest area at approximately 3:15 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 24, after receiving reports of a collision.  Upon arrival, they found a Jeep Liberty SUV facing the wrong direction, police said.  Further investigation revealed the vehicle had been traveling southbound in the northbound lanes prior to the crash. The driver, identified as Fairfield County resident Ramon Tusa Llivicosa, age 36, of St…
Unidentified Person Killed After Car Hits Tree, Bursts Into Flames In CT Unidentified Person Killed After Car Hits Tree, Bursts Into Flames In CT
Unidentified Person Killed After Car Hits Tree, Bursts Into Flames In CT Authorities are working to identify a person killed in a fiery crash in Connecticut.  The crash happened in Tolland County on Monday, Nov. 25 just before 8 p.m., when a 2016 Kia Sorento Lx speeding in a westbound direction on Sandy Beach Road in Ellington lost control and hit a tree head-on, according to the Connecticut State Police. Both the driver and one passenger were able to get out of the vehicle before it went up in flames. However, a second passenger died in the crash, police said. The driver and passenger were later taken to Hartford Hospital for minor injuries and the vehicl…
Fugitive Caught After Well-Being Check In CT Commuter Lot Fugitive Caught After Well-Being Check In CT Commuter Lot
Fugitive Caught After Well-Being Check In CT Commuter Lot A well-being check at a commuter lot in Connecticut led to the arrest of a woman wanted as a fugitive in Colorado. Troopers patrolling a commuter lot in Tolland County, along Route 44 in Bolton, around 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 24, observed a vehicle with blankets covering the windows and a sunshade on the windshield.  Concerned for the occupant’s well-being, they made contact and spoke with a woman identified as Hartford County resident Cynthia Conant, age 26, of Newington, according to police. Conant, who told troopers she had been parked there since 8 p.m. Saturday, provided her C…
Speeding Woman Accused Of Drunk Driving After Route 7 Stop In Wilton: Police Speeding Woman Accused Of Drunk Driving After Route 7 Stop In Wilton: Police
Speeding Woman Accused Of Drunk Driving After Route 7 Stop In Wilton: Police A Fairfield County woman is facing charges after police say she was driving under the influence on a major roadway. The incident occurred in Wilton on Saturday, Nov. 23, when police stopped a 2023 Land Rover Defender 110 traveling north on Danbury Road (Route 7) just after 3 a.m. Officers reported the vehicle was speeding and having difficulty staying in its lane. According to Wilton Police, the driver, 38-year-old Jessica Melo, of Bethel, appeared to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.  Melo failed to meet the standards of a field sobriety test and was arrested for driving un…
Boat Fire Sends Up Smoke At CT Marina Boat Fire Sends Up Smoke At CT Marina
Boat Fire Sends Up Smoke At CT Marina Firefighters raced to a Connecticut marina after a blaze began inside a boat. The fire began in Middlesex County on Monday, Nov. 25 just before 12:30 p.m., when a boat was seen on fire at a marina in Old Saybrook, according to the Old Saybrook Fire Department. The boat had been on land while being stored for the off-season, firefighters said. The department's fireboat quickly responded to the scene and began fighting the blaze. A video of the incident was posted on the department's Facebook page.  At 12:20 the Old Saybrook Fire Dept was dispatched to a report of a boat on f…
Man Found Dead Near Mall In Connecticut Man Found Dead Near Mall In Connecticut
Man Found Dead Near Mall In Connecticut A man was found dead in a secluded outdoor area near a Connecticut mall. Police in in New Haven County said the discovery occurred at about 2:25 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23, at the Brass Mill Center Mall in Waterbury.  Officers responding to reports of an unresponsive person located the body of the person in a remote area near the mall’s parking lot. The case is being treated as an untimely death.  Authorities are working with the Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to determine the official cause and manner of death. The identity of the person has not yet been release…
CT Woman Leads Wrong-Way I-84 Pursuit Before Arrest 18 Miles Away: Police CT Woman Leads Wrong-Way I-84 Pursuit Before Arrest 18 Miles Away: Police
CT Woman Leads Wrong-Way I-84 Pursuit Before Arrest 18 Miles Away: Police A 24-year-old woman is facing multiple charges after allegedly turning around and driving the wrong way on I-84 before leading police on a pursuit in Connecticut, authorities said. The incident began on Sunday, Nov. 24, just before 1:30 p.m., when a vehicle driven by Tierra Turner was seen traveling erratically and in the wrong direction near Exit 62 on I-84 East in Manchester, according to Connecticut State Police.  The vehicle, a white 2012 Honda Accord, was first reported to have stopped on the left shoulder before it continued east in the right lane erratically, State Police said. …
CT Man Struck By SUV On Jersey Shore Dies From Injuries, Police Say CT Man Struck By SUV On Jersey Shore Dies From Injuries, Police Say
CT Man Struck By SUV On Jersey Shore Dies From Injuries, Police Say A southeastern Connecticut man died more than a week after he was hit by an SUV while crossing a busy Jersey Shore road, authorities said. Michael Losacano of Niantic, CT, died from his injuries on Monday, Nov. 18, the Wall Township Police Department said in a news release. The 64-year-old was injured in a crash on Saturday, Nov. 9. Wall Township police responded to the scene on Route 35 near the intersection with Wall Church Road at around 6:42 p.m. Investigators said Losacano was struck by a southbound Ford Explorer driven by a 72-year-old man from Farmingdale. Losacano was rushed t…
34-Year-Old Seriously Injured In Crash After Eluding Cops, CT State Police Say 34-Year-Old Seriously Injured In Crash After Eluding Cops, CT State Police Say
34-Year-Old Seriously Injured In Crash After Eluding Cops, CT State Police Say A motorist suffered serious injuries in a crash after eluding police in Connecticut. Connecticut State Police said the incident occurred in New London County at about 7:40 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23, in Colchester. Tolland County resident David Justin Carnein, age 34, of the town of Tolland, was riding a 2001 Triumph motorcycle recklessly on Lebanon Avenue. Police had previously attempted to stop Carnein, but he fled at a high speed, said state police. As Carnein approached a Y-shaped intersection with Windham Avenue, he lost control of the motorcycle, police said.  The vehicle continue…
Norwalk Senior Citizen Scammed Out Of $10K; Police Warn Of More Fraud Attempts Norwalk Senior Citizen Scammed Out Of $10K; Police Warn Of More Fraud Attempts
Norwalk Senior Citizen Scammed Out Of $10K; Police Warn Of More Fraud Attempts Police are urging residents to remain cautious after a local senior was scammed out of more than $10,000 in a sophisticated fraud scheme.  The scammer posed as a Microsoft representative and convinced the victim to withdraw cash from their bank account and deliver it in a package to an individual who later came to their home. A similar incident occurred in Milford last week, according to police, suggesting this scheme is targeting residents in the area. Authorities are warning the public to stay alert to scams involving supposed computer or software issues, particularly those requesti…
Mom, Infant Son Gunned Down In CT Drive-By, Shooter Arrested In Puerto Rico: Police Mom, Infant Son Gunned Down In CT Drive-By, Shooter Arrested In Puerto Rico: Police
Mom, Infant Son Gunned Down In CT Drive-By, Shooter Arrested In Puerto Rico: Police A 23-year-old man accused of fatally shooting a young mother and her infant son in Connecticut was arrested in Puerto Rico, authorities announced. Lance Morales, the suspect in the drive-by shooting that killed 20-year-old Jessiah Mercado and her 4-month-old son, Messiah Diaz, was taken into custody Saturday, Nov. 23, by the U.S. Marshals Violent Fugitive Task Force, the Marshal Service said.  He was found at a home in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, and is being held on a $3 million bond. The incident unfolded earlier this week when officers responded to Hartford Hospital after a vehicle arriv…
Ex-Bridgeport Councilman Gets 3 Weekends In Prison, Fine In Election Fraud Case: Feds Ex-Bridgeport Councilman Gets 3 Weekends In Prison, Fine In Election Fraud Case: Feds
Ex-Bridgeport Councilman Gets 3 Weekends In Prison, Fine In Election Fraud Case: Feds A former Bridgeport City Council member has been sentenced to three weekends in prison for a civil rights offense stemming from election fraud during his run for office, federal authorities said.  Michael DeFilippo, 38, received one year of probation, three weekends of incarceration, and a $15,000 fine, the US Attorney Connecticut said.  The charges relate to DeFilippo's campaign for the 133rd District in 2017 and 2018. According to court records, DeFilippo manipulated elections by stealing and falsifying voter registration applications and absentee ballots, forging signatures, an…
CT Hunter Dies After Falling From Tree Stand: Police CT Hunter Dies After Falling From Tree Stand: Police
CT Hunter Dies After Falling From Tree Stand: Police A Connecticut hunter was killed early Friday morning, Nov. 22, after they fell from a tree stand, authorities said.  Police in Harwinton are investigating the Terryville Road incident. Authorities were called to the scene just after 10 a.m., State Police said.  The fall remains under investigation, but no more information was released Friday afternoon. Police did not disclose the hunter's name or any details surrounding the fall.  State Police along with the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection are investigating the fatal incident.  This is a developi…
CT Man Intentionally Crashed Into His Fiancee At Stratford Shopping Center: Reports CT Man Intentionally Crashed Into His Fiancee At Stratford Shopping Center: Reports
CT Man Intentionally Crashed Into His Fiancee At Stratford Shopping Center: Reports A 34-year-old Connecticut man is accused of intentionally driving into his fiancee in a shopping center parking lot earlier this week and leaving her in critical condition, reports said.  Anthony Assad, of Milford, is charged with first-degree assault, evading responsibility, and reckless driving, NBC Connecticut reported.  Police said Assad sped up as he drove toward the woman in the 150 Barnum Ave. shopping center in Stratford Tuesday morning, Nov. 19, before he crashed into the woman, throwing her onto the Honda's windshield, per the CT Post.  Video shows Assad getti…
Headstone Heist: CT Police Searching For Family's Stolen Grave Marker Headstone Heist: CT Police Searching For Family's Stolen Grave Marker
Headstone Heist: CT Police Searching For Family's Stolen Grave Marker Police are asking for the public's help to find a gravestone stolen from a Connecticut cemetery. A family contacted Connecticut State Police this summer after the joint granite headstone for Gloria Benard and her son Michael Benard was taken from South Cemetery in Brooklyn, Windham County. The family is offering a $2,500 reward for information on who took the Twilight Red stone, state police said. An anonymous benefactor who heard of the theft paid to replace the grave marker, but the family wants the original back and the person who took it punished.  Police are asking anyone with i…
CT Prison Guard Charged With Assaulting Elderly Inmate CT Prison Guard Charged With Assaulting Elderly Inmate
CT Prison Guard Charged With Assaulting Elderly Inmate A Connecticut prison guard turned himself over to police earlier this week after authorities accused him of assaulting an elderly inmate earlier this year, police said.  Todd Blevons, 42, of Uncasville, was charged with assault in the third degree on an elderly person, Connecticut State Police said on Thursday, Nov. 21. Police began investigating Blevons after an inmate at Corrigan Correctional Center in Montville accused him of using excessive force in April, authorities said.  A police report obtained by WTNH said Blevons threw the 66-year-old inmate to the ground, jumped …
39-Year-Old ID'd As Victim In Fatal Crash With Tractor Trailer: Police 39-Year-Old ID'd As Victim In Fatal Crash With Tractor Trailer: Police
39-Year-Old ID'd As Victim In Fatal Crash With Tractor Trailer: Police A 39-year-old woman who was a passenger in a car involved in a crash with a tractor-trailer on I-84 in Connecticut has died, authorities said. Gennesse Alicea, of Southbridge, Massachusetts, was riding in a Hyundai Elantra that collided with a UPS tractor-trailer near Exit 71 in Willington at about 3:15 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20, according to Connecticut State Police. Related: Southbridge Man ID'd as Victim in Fatal Connecticut Crash An initial investigation found that the Hyundai clipped the truck's front bumper while changing lanes, causing the car to spin out of control and stop in the …
Quick-Thinking Driver Forces Drunk CT Woman With Kids In Car To Pull Over: Police Quick-Thinking Driver Forces Drunk CT Woman With Kids In Car To Pull Over: Police
Quick-Thinking Driver Forces Drunk CT Woman With Kids In Car To Pull Over: Police A Connecticut woman caught driving while drunk and with three children in her uninsured SUV could have caused a crash if not for a quick-thinking driver who forced her off the road, authorities said.  Michelle Bullett, 36, of Hartford, was arrested Tuesday night, Nov. 19, after multiple people called 911 to report an SUV swerving along I-91, Connecticut State Police said. The calls came in around 8 p.m. when her silver Volvo SUV was spotted swerving along the interstate near Exit 24 in Wethersfield. Police later found her pulled over near Exit 21 in Cromwell after another driver positi…
Norwalk Firefighters Battle Construction Machine Blaze, Contain Fuel Spill Norwalk Firefighters Battle Construction Machine Blaze, Contain Fuel Spill
Norwalk Firefighters Battle Construction Machine Blaze, Contain Fuel Spill A construction milling machine caught on fire Wednesday, Nov. 20, sending Norwalk firefighters rushing to the scene to mitigate any potential spread.  Firefighters were called to the construction equipment fire on Betmarlea Road around 3 p.m. The blaze, which produced thick smoke in the residential area, was contained without any injuries reported. The state remains under a severe fire warning as dry conditions and high winds have turned much of the underbrush into a tinderbox. Containing small fires before they can spread into larger ones is key.  Fire crews used an absorbe…
Merritt Parkway Reopens After 3-Car Crash, Fire In Norwalk; 2 Hurt: Firefighters Merritt Parkway Reopens After 3-Car Crash, Fire In Norwalk; 2 Hurt: Firefighters
Merritt Parkway Reopens After 3-Car Crash, Fire In Norwalk; 2 Hurt: Firefighters The Merritt Parkway was temporarily shut down on Tuesday afternoon, Nov. 19, after a three-car pile-up sparked a truck fire and sent two to the hospital, authorities said.  Norwalk firefighters were called to the Merritt Parkway between northbound exits 38 to 40 for the multiple-car crash just after noon. Officials said one truck was fully engulfed in flames when responders arrived with two other cars sustaining damage in the blaze. Firefighters put out the flames, but the heat from the fire damaged the highway's guardrails, requiring officials to temporarily shut down a portion o…
Not-So-Clean Getaway: BMW Stolen At Darien Car Wash By Masked Men Found In NY; Teen Busted Not-So-Clean Getaway: BMW Stolen At Darien Car Wash By Masked Men Found In NY; Teen Busted
Not-So-Clean Getaway: BMW Stolen At Darien Car Wash By Masked Men Found In NY; Teen Busted A BMW stolen by two masked men from a Connecticut car wash earlier this month was found in New York, police said. The 2024 BMW X5 was stolen on Monday, Nov. 11, from a car wash on Post Road in Darien around 2:45 p.m., authorities said. The owner told police they were drying the SUV when two men in masks climbed out of an unknown vehicle, hopped into the beamer's driver's seat, and sped away. They didn't mention or show any weapons during the incident. A day later, police found the BMW in Flushing, New York, with a license plate from a different vehicle on the SUV, authorities said on Tuesda…
Alert Issued For Missing 28-Year-Old CT Man Alert Issued For Missing 28-Year-Old CT Man
Alert Issued For Missing 28-Year-Old CT Man Authorities are asking for the public's help in finding a 28-year-old man who went missing in Connecticut.  Gregory Stearns was last seen in the Tolland County town of Mansfield on Monday, Nov. 18, according to Connecticut State Police.  Stearns is described as a white man who is 5-foot-11 and 185 pounds. He has brown eyes and brown hair. He was seen wearing a dark hat, blue hoodie, dark pants, and black sneakers when he disappeared. However, police said he may have lost some layers of clothing, as he was last seen wearing gray shorts, a white t-shirt, and no shoes.  A…
CT Mom Left 4 Young Kids Alone In 'Deplorable' Home While She Went To NY: Police (Updated) CT Mom Left 4 Young Kids Alone In 'Deplorable' Home While She Went To NY: Police (Updated)
CT Mom Left 4 Young Kids Alone In 'Deplorable' Home While She Went To NY: Police (Updated) A 40-year-old Connecticut mother is accused of leaving her four children — ages 11, 6, 4, and 3 — alone in an apartment filled with trash, feces, and filth with no food or clothing while she went to New York, authorities said.  Lindsey Powell, of Vernon in Tolland County, was arrested and charged on Monday, Nov. 18, with four counts of risk of injury to a minor, police said. Vernon police were called to a home on Terrace Drive on Friday, Nov. 8, for a welfare check, and they found four of Powell's young children unsupervised, officials said. Three of the children were naked and th…