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Police & Fire
State Police Cruiser Struck In Westport, Man Charged With Failure To Move Over State Police Cruiser Struck In Westport, Man Charged With Failure To Move Over
State Police Cruiser Struck In Westport, Man Charged With Failure To Move Over A 47-year-old man was charged with failure to move over after slamming into the back of a Connecticut State Police cruiser. The incident occurred in Fairfield County in Westport on I-95 southbound around 3 a.m. Saturday, July 27, on I-95 near Exit 17. According to State Police, a State Police cruiser was stationary, positioned in the left travel lane, with its emergency lights activated when a 2015 Kia Sorrento driven by New York City resident Sonny Abdul-Hardy of the Bronx, failed to move over or stop and slammed into the back of the cruiser. State police said Trooper Ryszard Galej w…

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by Kathy Reakes
Business
Employee Caught Stealing Cash From CT Restaurant While Daughter Waits In Car, Police Say Employee Caught Stealing Cash From CT Restaurant While Daughter Waits In Car, Police Say
Employee Caught Stealing Cash From CT Restaurant While Daughter Waits In Car, Police Say An employee was caught red-handed stealing cash from a Connecticut restaurant as her daughter waited in the car, police said. The Tolland County incident happened in the town of Mansfield, at a restaurant on Storrs Road, at around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 23. Connecticut State Police said 28-year-old Jennifer Spencer entered the business after hours, without the owner’s permission, and stole cash from the register. She was caught after the restaurant’s owner, already suspecting that someone was stealing from them, noticed that Spencer had gone into the business after hours on two nights in…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Shoplifter's Accomplice Threatens Bystanders With Knife Outside CT Walmart, Police Say Shoplifter's Accomplice Threatens Bystanders With Knife Outside CT Walmart, Police Say
Shoplifter's Accomplice Threatens Bystanders With Knife Outside CT Walmart, Police Say A woman is accused of chasing and threatening bystanders with a knife during an attempted shoplifting at a Connecticut Walmart store. In Windham County, Contessa Vayo, age 34, of Brooklyn, was arrested on suspicion of threatening and related charges outside the Putnam Walmart on School Street on Friday afternoon, July 29. Connecticut State Police said it was around 2:30 p.m. when a man pushed a cart full of merchandise out of the store without paying, prompting a male bystander to begin chasing him through the parking lot. Witnesses told troopers that the man started loading the stolen it…

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by Michael Mashburn
Police & Fire
Shelton Resident Charged With Illegal Possession Of Fireworks After Fire Shelton Resident Charged With Illegal Possession Of Fireworks After Fire
Shelton Resident Charged With Illegal Possession Of Fireworks After Fire A Fairfield County man whose home was burned down by a court order due to the large number of fireworks inside has been charged with alleged possession of illegal fireworks and reckless endangerment. Stephen Lupkas, age 54, of Shelton, was arrested after turning himself in to police on Monday, July 22, in connection with a fire at his home at 7 Bruce Drive on Saturday, June 22. According to Det. Christopher Nugent of the Shelton Police, while extinguishing the fire, firefighters encountered a large number of fireworks, which were actively going off as they suppressed the fire, which wa…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Witnesses Wanted After CT 55-Year-Old Dies In Single-Vehicle Crash Witnesses Wanted After CT 55-Year-Old Dies In Single-Vehicle Crash
Witnesses Wanted After CT 55-Year-Old Dies In Single-Vehicle Crash Connecticut State Police are seeking witnesses to a single-vehicle crash after a 55-year-old man was killed. The incident occurred in New London County on Thursday, July 25, on the Shetucket Turnpike in Voluntown. Connecticut State Police reported that Donald Sunny, 55, of Jewett City, was riding a 2023 Kawasaki westbound on the Shetucket Turnpike.  While navigating a left-hand curve downhill, he veered into the westbound roadside area, which was comprised of dirt and gravel. State police said the Kawasaki continued westbound in the roadside area, where it struck a metal beam guardra…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
ID Released For Woman Shot, Killed Near CT Amtrak Station As 2 Suspects Remain At Large ID Released For Woman Shot, Killed Near CT Amtrak Station As 2 Suspects Remain At Large
ID Released For Woman Shot, Killed Near CT Amtrak Station As 2 Suspects Remain At Large As a search continues for two suspects in the shooting death of a Connecticut woman, police have released her identity. Related: Woman Fatally Shot Near Meriden Amtrak Station The incident occurred in New Haven County on Monday, July 22, near the Amtrak station in Meriden. Lt. Darrin McKay of the Meriden Police said the victim has been identified as 28-year-old Beth Ndwiga of Meriden. "First off, we here at the Meriden Police Department wish to express our sincerest condolences to the victim’s family," McKay said. "This type of senseless violence happens way too often in commu…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Fatal Crash: 38-Year-Old Found By Guardrail With Leg Injury In CT Fatal Crash: 38-Year-Old Found By Guardrail With Leg Injury In CT
Fatal Crash: 38-Year-Old Found By Guardrail With Leg Injury In CT A bicyclist died in the hospital after being found injured next to a guardrail following a crash in Connecticut, police announced.  The events leading to the man's death began in Tolland County on Sunday, July 21 around 1 p.m., when a passerby saw an unattended bicycle against a guardrail at 667 Wall St. (Route 316) in Hebron.  According to Connecticut State Police, the passerby then saw a man next to the guardrail almost into the woods with a severe leg injury. The good Samaritan tried helping the man by applying a tourniquet to his legs until first responders could arrive, …

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Driver Crashes Into Bear On Busy CT Highway Driver Crashes Into Bear On Busy CT Highway
Driver Crashes Into Bear On Busy CT Highway Although a driver emerged without injuries after colliding with a bear on a busy Connecticut highway, the animal did not fare the same. The crash happened in Litchfield County on Sunday, July 21 just before 9 p.m., when a 2015 MINI Cooper struck a bear on Route 8 South near Exit 45 in Torrington, according to Connecticut State Police. Arriving troopers began an investigation and determined that the bear ran into the road in front of the car, which was unable to avoid hitting it.  The driver of the MINI Cooper was not injured in the crash. However, the bear was killed and was found blo…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
CT Man Dies After Rolling Classic Convertible Off Retaining Wall CT Man Dies After Rolling Classic Convertible Off Retaining Wall
CT Man Dies After Rolling Classic Convertible Off Retaining Wall A Connecticut man was killed after rolling his classic 1965 Ford Mustang off of a retaining wall. The crash occurred in New London County around 9:30 a.m., Sunday, July 21, in Preston near 194 Middle Road. According to the Connecticut State Police, Kraid Bressette, age 60, of New London County in Preston, died after he drove his convertible into the northbound grassy roadside and onto a stone retaining wall before rolling on its right side. The convertible top was down at the of the crash, State Police said. State Police said there was a five-foot drop from the roadway to the base of the …

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Fatal Crash: 44-Year-Old ID'd As Victim After Being Ejected From Car On CT Roadway Fatal Crash: 44-Year-Old ID'd As Victim After Being Ejected From Car On CT Roadway
Fatal Crash: 44-Year-Old ID'd As Victim After Being Ejected From Car On CT Roadway One person was killed after being ejected from his vehicle in an early-morning Connecticut crash. It happened just before 3 a.m. Saturday, July 20, in Hartford County on northbound I-91 in Rocky Hill. According to Connecticut State Police, a 2008 Nissan Versa was traveling near Exit 24 when it veered into the right shoulder and hit a guardrail. The driver, Middlesex County resident Marcos Benitez Rengifo, age 44, of the town of Portland, was ejected from the vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene. After that crash, police say a 2018 Acura collided with the disabled Nissan in t…

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by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
Newtown Woman Accused Of Stealing Over $50K Of Artifacts, Chainsaws, From CT Home Newtown Woman Accused Of Stealing Over $50K Of Artifacts, Chainsaws, From CT Home
Newtown Woman Accused Of Stealing Over $50K Of Artifacts, Chainsaws, From CT Home A 39-year-old woman accused of stealing artifacts, chainsaws, books, and more from a Connecticut home was caught after leaving behind an energy drink with her DNA on it, police said. Fairfield County resident Jessica Thompson of Newtown, age 39, was arrested on Tuesday, July 16 in connection with a Litchfield County burglary reported in September 2023, Connecticut State Police announced on Wednesday, July 17.  According to a police affidavit, on Sept. 6, 2023, a trooper responded to a Cornwall home after a resident reported the theft of thousands of paintings, art, and antiques.  …

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by Ben Crnic
News
Update: Bodies Of 2 Missing Swimmers Found In Candlewood Lake Update: Bodies Of 2 Missing Swimmers Found In Candlewood Lake
Update: Bodies Of 2 Missing Swimmers Found In Candlewood Lake The bodies of two Fairfield County men who were missing after jumping from a boat in Candlewood Lake have been recovered by police. Related: New Update: Missing Candlewood Lake Swimmers ID'd As Men Ages 38, 26 The two men, identified as 26-year-old and 38-year-old Danbury residents, were found by the Connecticut State Police dive team and the Danbury Police dive team in Candlewood Lake in Danbury on Thursday, July 18. The names of the victims have not been released pending notification of family.  According to James Fowler, a spokesperson for the state Department of Energy and…

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by Kathy Reakes