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Police & Fire
20 Cows Die In Tractor-Trailer Rollover Crash On I-84 20 Cows Die In Tractor-Trailer Rollover Crash On I-84
20 Cows Die In Tractor-Trailer Rollover Crash On I-84 Twenty cows died during a rollover crash of a tractor-trailer on I-84 in Fairfield County. The incident took place in Newtown around 3:30 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 19 near Exit 10, said the Connecticut State Police. State Police said the tractor-trailer was carrying 44 live cows and the state Department of Agriculture and Department of Transportation were called to the scene, as was DEEP due to a fuel spill. Based on the injuries sustained by the cows and the risk of exposure to hazardous conditions resulting from the rollover, a state veterinarian was contacted about the injured cows and made …

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Moose Struck, Killed By Car On CT Highway Moose Struck, Killed By Car On CT Highway
Moose Struck, Killed By Car On CT Highway Days after state officials put out warning for drivers to be on the lookout for moose along the state's highways, one was hit and killed by a vehicle. The incident took place in New Haven County around 6:50 a.m., Wednesday, May 17 in North Haven on northbound Route 15 -- known as the Wilbur Cross Parkway -- near exit 63, said the Connecticut State Police. The driver of the vehicle was not injured but the moose was killed, state police said. The Department of Transportation removed the moose from the scene, and the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Wildlife Division wi…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
CT Teacher Saves Disabled Man From Burning Van CT Teacher Saves Disabled Man From Burning Van
CT Teacher Saves Disabled Man From Burning Van A Connecticut teacher saved the life of a disabled man by pulling him from a van engulfed in flames. The incident took place in Hartford County on I-384 in Manchester on Thursday, Feb. 23, said Manchester Fire Rescue/EMS on Facebook. Heather Sica Leonard, a middle school teacher at Illing Middle School in Manchester, happened to be driving down the ramp at the same time the driver of the van, who uses a wheelchair, smelled smoke and found that his dashboard was on fire, fire officials said. Suddenly finding himself in a burning van, John, last name not provided, stopped on the side of the …

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by Kathy Reakes
News
21-Year-Old Pronounced Dead After Being Pulled From CT Lake 21-Year-Old Pronounced Dead After Being Pulled From CT Lake
21-Year-Old Pronounced Dead After Being Pulled From CT Lake A 21-year-old man who was pulled unresponsive from a popular Connecticut lake was pronounced dead at an area hospital. The incident took place in Middlesex County at Pattaconk Lake in the town of Chester on Sunday, July 17. According to Environmental Conservation Police, officers responded to the lake for a report of an unresponsive man who was pulled from the water, said Will Healey, communications director for DEEP. Officers found that a 21-year-old man had been pulled from the water and that lifesaving procedures were being performed. The man was transported to Middlesex Health Shorelin…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
One Killed, Several Injured In CT Boating Accident One Killed, Several Injured In CT Boating Accident
One Killed, Several Injured In CT Boating Accident One person was killed and seven others injured during a boating accident on the Connecticut River. The incident took place in Middlesex County in the Town of Portland around 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 10. According to the Portland Fire Department, the department along with mutual aid agencies responded to the river just north of Petzold's Marine after receiving numerous 911 calls regarding a boating accident with multiple injuries. A boat lost control and crashed into the rocks, ejecting everyone on board, officials said.  When Portland's Marine 7 arrived on the scene they found multip…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Lanes Reopen After I-95 Crash In Fairfield County Lanes Reopen After I-95 Crash In Fairfield County
Lanes Reopen After I-95 Crash In Fairfield County This story has been updated. Lanes on a stretch of I-95 have reopened after being closed most of Saturday morning, June 18 following a tractor-trailer crash. The crash happened southbound between exits 14 and 13 at 5 a.m.  A tractor-trailer truck in the breakdown lane was waiting to have a tire repaired when another tractor-trailer struck it, Norwalk Fire Department Deputy Chief Edward Prescott said.  The crash ruptured the diesel saddle tank of the disabled truck and spilled the vegetable contents of the other truck across the highway, Prescott said. The two drivers were uninj…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
ID Released For CT Kayaker Who Drowned While Attempting To Reach Lost Paddle ID Released For CT Kayaker Who Drowned While Attempting To Reach Lost Paddle
ID Released For CT Kayaker Who Drowned While Attempting To Reach Lost Paddle State officials have released the name of a Connecticut man who drowned while attempting to reach a lost paddle while kayaking. The incident took place in New Haven County at Quonnipaug Lake in Guilford on Sunday, May 23. New Haven County resident Rodrigo Tocto, age 34, of Orange, was recovered from the water by the Guilford Dive Team and CPR was administered, said Will Healey, spokesman for DEEP. See Earlier Story: Kayaker Dies After Overturning In CT Lake Tocto was taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital where he was pronounced dead, Healey said. According to Healey, Tocto …

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Teen Dies While Swimming At CT Pond Teen Dies While Swimming At CT Pond
Teen Dies While Swimming At CT Pond A 16-year-old boy drowned while swimming with friends in a Connecticut pond. The incident took place in New London County around 4:40 p.m., Saturday, May 21 in Lyme. State Department of Environmental Conservation Police, along with State Police and the Lyme Fire Department responded to a report of a missing 16-year-old male last seen in the water at Uncas Pond off the beach in Nehantic State Forest, Lyme, said Will Healey, spokesman for DEEP.  The teen was swimming with friends and at a certain point, went under the water, Healey said. He was located by Lt. Bill O’Donnell, of the Mi…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Man Rescued After Crashing Pick Up Truck In Easton Pond Man Rescued After Crashing Pick Up Truck In Easton Pond
Man Rescued After Crashing Pick Up Truck In Easton Pond First responders rescued a Fairfield County driver after his pickup truck was found partially submerged in a pond following a crash with another vehicle. The incident took place at 7 p.m., Monday, Oct. 25 in Easton. Officers responded to Banks Road for a report of a vehicle crash, according to Chief of Easton Police Richard Doyle. Upon the officers' arrival, they found a partially submerged truck in a pond, about 30 feet from shore with the driver still inside, Doyle said. Officers deployed a water rescue bag and began to pull the driver to shore. Responding Easton firefighters arriv…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Jet Skier Found Dead In Connecticut River Jet Skier Found Dead In Connecticut River
Jet Skier Found Dead In Connecticut River CT Environmental Conservation Police officers are investigating a boating fatality believed to involve a single jet skier on the Connecticut River. The jet skier was found around 4:45 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 8, in Middlesex County in Haddam, after DEEP received calls from passing boaters of a jet ski adrift near the Salmon River boat launch, said Tony Russell, spokesman for DEEP. A police boat arrived on the scene in less than 15 minutes recovered a body from the water, Russell said. The victim’s identification is being withheld pending next-of-kin notifications. Middlesex County is inclu…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Fairfield County Town Sees Increase In Bear Sightings, Police Say Fairfield County Town Sees Increase In Bear Sightings, Police Say
Fairfield County Town Sees Increase In Bear Sightings, Police Say A Fairfield County town is warning residents of multiple black bear sightings in the area. On Sunday, May 31, there were multiple black bear sightings reported in the northern section of Westport. The bear was first reported to be in the area of Weathervane Hill and then was seen by Earthplace which is located off Woodside Lane, said Westport Police Lt. David Wolf. Later that day, the bear was observed at the Westport/Weston YMCA, and in the early evening, there were additional sightings on Weston Road.  Westport Animal Control believes that it was the same b…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
COVID-19: List Of Most-Hiked Trails During Pandemic - Trail Use Nearly Doubles COVID-19: List Of Most-Hiked Trails During Pandemic - Trail Use Nearly Doubles
Covid-19: List Of Most-Hiked Trails During Pandemic - Trail Use Nearly Doubles COVID-19 restrictions have pushed more people to venture outdoors and hit the hiking trails, according to data collected using infrared cameras by the University of Connecticut Trail Census.  In March, at the start of the pandemic, trail usage throughout the state increased by a whopping 77 percent compared to the same time last year. Trail use was up by more than 50 percent April through June. In March of 2019, there were 97,131 people counted on Connecticut's trails. In March of this year, there were 172,099 people. A further breakdown of the University's data - the "COVID-19 T…

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by Christina Coulter
Lifestyle
New Photos: 'Dan Berry' Bear Goes From Main Street To Firehouse New Photos: 'Dan Berry' Bear Goes From Main Street To Firehouse
New Photos: 'Dan Berry' Bear Goes From Main Street To Firehouse Danbury firefighters got quite a surprise while busy cleaning the firehouse and equipment checks on Monday, April 20, when one of the crew spotted a bear in the lot behind the fire station.  Of course, none of the other firefighters believed him until they saw the bear for themselves, said Danbury Fire spokesman James Gagliardo. The bear, which had been spotted near Main Street earlier in the day and named "Dan Berry," by Mayor Mark Boughton, decided he liked it at the firehouse and didn't have any plans to leave, Gagliardo said. See Earlier Story: Black Bear Not Under…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
COVID-19: Those Violating Some New Measures At CT State Parks Could Face Arrest, Felony Charges COVID-19: Those Violating Some New Measures At CT State Parks Could Face Arrest, Felony Charges
Covid-19: Those Violating Some New Measures At CT State Parks Could Face Arrest, Felony Charges New, stricter measures have been announced to support safe, solitary enjoyment of outdoor spaces during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in Connecticut.  The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) said if the new measures at Connecticut state parks are not followed, penalties range from a verbal warning to a $5,000 fine and even arrests and felony charges for interfering or obstructing any lawful civil preparedness activity. Visitors to parks may walk, hike and fish, but they must maintain safe social distancing and those in parks are not permitted to g…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
$50K Torched Baseball Field Incident Leads To Suspensions Of Three Ridgefield HS Coaches $50K Torched Baseball Field Incident Leads To Suspensions Of Three Ridgefield HS Coaches
$50K Torched Baseball Field Incident Leads To Suspensions Of Three Ridgefield HS Coaches Three varsity baseball coaches at Ridgefield High School have been placed on administrative leave after extreme measures were taken to try and squeeze in a high school baseball game. The field at Governor Park was doused with gasoline and set on fire over the weekend in an effort to dry out a playing surface that had been rained on in advance of Ridgefield’s scheduled game against Amity. The idea did more harm than good. In total, reparations are expected to cost upwards of $50,000. No one was injured and there was never anyone in danger, police said. The incident remains under investigati…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Decision To Douse HS Baseball Field With Gas, Set It On Fire Sparks Investigation In Ridgefield Decision To Douse HS Baseball Field With Gas, Set It On Fire Sparks Investigation In Ridgefield
Decision To Douse HS Baseball Field With Gas, Set It On Fire Sparks Investigation In Ridgefield Some baseball fans had a burning desire to watch the Ridgefield High School team play baseball, so they set a local field on fire using gasoline in an attempt to dry the surface, police said. A Ridgefield High School baseball game against Amity scheduled to be played at Governor Park was forced to be postponed over the weekend due to poor weather conditions that impacted the field. According to the Ridgefield Police Department, on Saturday, April 6, “a poor decision was made to dry the field quicker" and 24 gallons of gasoline were poured on the playing surface and set on fire. The Ridgefie…

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by Zak Failla
News
Man Faces New Charges In Woman's Death On Candlewood Lake Man Faces New Charges In Woman's Death On Candlewood Lake
Man Faces New Charges In Woman's Death On Candlewood Lake Charges were recently upgraded against an area man whose friend died after being struck by the propeller of his boat last year on Candlewood Lake. Gary Morrone, 66, of Watertown, who was originally charged with reckless operation of a vessel, failure to help a collision victim, and failure to immediately notify law enforcement of injury for the Nov. 19, 2018 incident, has also been charged with criminally negligent homicide and reckless boating. Wanda Tirado, 38,  of Waterbury, was killed while the pair were out boating in Morrone's boat on the lake in New Fairfield. While sw…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Driver Dies After Tractor-Trailer Crashes Down Embankment Off I-95 Driver Dies After Tractor-Trailer Crashes Down Embankment Off I-95
Driver Dies After Tractor-Trailer Crashes Down Embankment Off I-95 This story has been updated. The driver of a tractor-trailer carrying bottled water has died after the truck crashed off the road and down an embankment on I-95 in Milford.  The incident occurred at 6:37 a.m. Friday on the southbound side of the highway between the rest stop and Exit 40, said Capt. Stephen Rabel with the Milford Fire Department. Milford Firefighters arrived on scene and found the tractor-trailer off the road and into the wooded area. The driver of the vehicle was pinned in the vehicle and had to be extricated, Rabel said. The extrication was complicated by having to remo…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Fatal Crash Update: I-95 Stretch Reopens After Hourslong Closure Fatal Crash Update: I-95 Stretch Reopens After Hourslong Closure
Fatal Crash Update: I-95 Stretch Reopens After Hourslong Closure Update, 3:15 p.m. Thursday The stretch of northbound I-95 in Milford that was closed for around seven hours due to a fatal crash has now reopened. Earlier report: The driver of a dump truck was ejected from his vehicle and killed on I-95 in Milford, closing the highway for hours.  The incident occurred around 7:45 a.m. Thursday on the northbound side of the highway between Exits 40 and 31, said Milford Fire Department Battalion Chief Anthony Fabrizi.  Milford Firefighters arrived on scene and found an overturned dump truck that had struck the Quarry Roa…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Man Rescued After Nearly Drowning In Fairfield County Man Rescued After Nearly Drowning In Fairfield County
Man Rescued After Nearly Drowning In Fairfield County A 35-year-old local man is lucky to be alive after nearly drowning in a restricted swimming area at Indian Well State Park in Shelton. The Milford resident was swimming in the area of the waterfalls when he began having trouble shortly before 6 p.m. Wednesday, according to DEEP officials. EnCon, along with Shelton emergency services responded to the park for the report of a drowning, said Chris Collibee, DEEP spokesman.  “Witnesses performed CPR until EMS arrived,” he said.  The man was taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital by Life Star helicopter. When he was airlifted, the man was breathing…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Bear Struck, Killed On Highway In Fairfield County Bear Struck, Killed On Highway In Fairfield County
Bear Struck, Killed On Highway In Fairfield County A bear was struck and killed by a vehicle on I-84 in Newtown on Saturday, causing minor injuries to the occupants.  According to Chris Collibee, a spokesman for DEEP,  the department was notified by the state police that the 80-pound untagged bear was hit around 7 p.m. on the westbound side of the roadway. "Bears being struck by vehicles is extremely common with roughly 50 to 60 per year being hit," Collibee said. State police said they did not have information on the number of people injured or damage to the vehicle, because the incident was not considered a crash, said Trooper …

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by Kathy Reakes