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DUI Crash In Plainville Uncovers Loaded Gun, Ends In Arrest: Police
A Connecticut man was arrested after crashing his car while intoxicated with a loaded gun in his wrecked vehicle, police said.
Michael Washington, 64, of Meriden, was arrested after troopers responded to a crash on Route 72 near Exit 4 in Plainville around 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 19, Connecticut State Police said.
Washington appeared intoxicated and failed a field sobriety test, police said. Troopers took him into custody without incident.
During the investigation, officers found a loaded gun with a high-capacity magazine in Washington's car, police said. The firearm and ammunition were …
Repeat DUI Driver 'Pawed Like A Cat' After Being Woken Up By CT State Trooper On I-95: Police
A 24-year-old man was arrested for driving under the influence after a Connecticut State trooper found him asleep in his car on the shoulder of I-95, authorities said.
At approximately 3:18 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025, a Troop E-Montville Trooper stopped to check on what appeared to be a disabled vehicle in the northbound lanes near Exit 91, Connecticut State Police said.
Instead, they found Christian Gonzalez, of East Haven, asleep behind the wheel with the driver’s side window rolled down, police said.
When the Trooper illuminated the vehicle with a flashlight, Gonzalez reportedly wok…
CT Couple Killed In PA Hit-And-Run; Driver Sentenced To Up To 56 Years
A Pennsylvania man was sentenced to 26 years, nine months to 56 years, 10 months in state prison for causing the high-speed hit-and-run crash that killed a Connecticut couple in Bucks County last February.
John Thomas Wadlinger Jr., 32, of Bensalem, received the sentence from Common Pleas Judge C. Theodore Fritsch on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at the Bucks County Justice Center. He was also ordered to pay $14,971.11 in restitution and $8,100 in fines for the crash that killed Rebecca Whiddon, 33, and her husband Richard Whiddon, 37, both of Brooklyn, CT.
Crash And Aftermath
On Feb. 24, 2024, Wa…
Drunk, Wrong-Way Driver Arrested on East Hartford I-84 Ramp In Smoking SUV: Police
A Connecticut man whose blood alcohol content was more than twice the legal limit was stopped while driving the wrong way on an I-84 off-ramp over the weekend, authorities said.
Angel Sanabria, 44, of Hartford, was arrested and charged with multiple felonies and traffic violations after police stopped his SUV, which had heavy front-end damage with smoke billowing from the engine, and fluids leaking onto the road as if he'd been in a recent crash, Connecticut State Police said.
Troopers received a wrong-way driver detection alert just after 2:30 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 17, at the Governor Street o…
4 Days, 2 DUIs: Enfield Man Busted After Driving Erratically In Front Of Police
A Connecticut man who was arrested over the weekend and charged with DUI was arrested again four days later for driving while intoxicated, police said. It was the third time he’s been taken into custody for allegedly getting behind the wheel while impaired.
Anthony Benvenuto, 54, of Enfield in Hartford County, was arrested just after 7 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 14, and charged with DUI, driving with a suspended Maine license, driving without insurance, and multiple traffic violations, according to Connecticut State Police.
A state trooper spotted Benvenuto's truck on Interstate 91 near Exit 33…
Bloomfield Woman, 26, Killed In I-91 Crash Caused By Intoxicated Driver In Rocky Hill: Police
Police say an intoxicated Connecticut driver started a three-car, chain-reaction crash on I-91 in Hartford County that killed a 26-year-old woman and sent others to the hospital.
Jada Marie Upshaw, of Bloomfield in Hartford County, was killed around 8:45 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 4, in Rocky Hill, Connecticut State Police said.
The crash happened when a BMW — for seemingly no reason — veered into a neighboring lane and cashed into Upshaw's Nissan near Exit 23 in the southbound lanes, a police report said.
Upshaw's SUV and the BMW tumbled down the highway, and the sedan s…
Speeding, Weaving Motorist Nabbed For DUI On CT Roadway, Police Say
A Fairfield County man driving a 2024 Lexus NX 350 was nabbed for alleged DUI and other charges after he was spotted by police speeding and weaving.
John Tacconi, age 66, of Norwalk, was charged in Wilton on Tuesday, Aug. 20, on Danbury Road.
According to Wilton Police Deputy Chief Robert Cipolla, an officer clocked Tacconi traveling at 60 mph in a 40 mph zone on Danbury Road and weaving in and out of the double yellow line.
Tacconi admitted to the officer he had consumed alcohol before driving, and he had bloodshot eyes and was slurring his speech, Cipolla said.
The deputy chief said Tac…
CT Man Found Asleep At Wheel Of Running Jeep Charged With DUI, Police Say
A Connecticut man was charged with alleged DUI after he was found asleep behind the wheel of a running Jeep at a car dealership, police said.
The incident occurred in Fairfield County at H&L Chevrolet at around 3:30 a.m., Sunday, Aug. 11, in Darien.
According to Sgt. Mauricio Vigil of the Darien Police, Justin Holliday, age 40, of New Haven County in Waterbury, was located by police asleep in a running 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Holliday, who exhibited signs of intoxication, was arrested for operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol after failing field sob…
Drunk Driver Crashes U-Haul Into Car In Wilton, Police Say
A Long Island man driving a U-Haul truck was charged with alleged DUI in Fairfield County after he passed another vehicle and struck it.
The incident occurred in the town of Wilton on Wednesday, July 31, on Danbury Road (Route 7).
According to Lt. Anna Tornello of the Wilton Police, Steve Otterbeck, age 58, of Huntington Station, was traveling south on Ridgefield Road in a U-Haul truck when he passed another car and struck it.
After stopping the truck, officers thought Otterbeck's actions "were not normal," and in Plainview were several alcohol containers, Tornello said.
Tornel…
Norwalk Woman Driving On Wrong Side Of Road In New Canaan Charged With DUI, Police Say
A woman was nabbed for alleged DUI after police say she was found driving erratically on the wrong side of the road in Fairfield County.
The incident occurred in New Canaan on Tuesday, July 30, on Smith Ridge Road.
According to Lt. Mark DeFelice of the New Canaan Police, Rosa Maria Hernandez Depaniagua, age 52, of Norwalk, was arrested after police received a 911 call reporting an erratic driver.
When officers arrived, they found Hernandez Depaniagua driving on the wrong side of Smith Ridge Road and pulled her over, DeFelice said.
"While speaking with Hernandez Depaniagua, offic…
Westport Man Nabbed For DUI After Swerving, Running Red Lights, Police Say
A Fairfield County man is behind bars for alleged DUI after he was spotted by police swerving between lanes and running red lights.
David Rappaport, age 58, of Westport, was charged on Friday, July 26, around 12:15 a.m. on Post Road East in Westport.
According to Lt. Eric Woods of the Westport Police, an officer in the area was approached by two people who witnessed the erratic driving in Fairfield and alerted the officer.
Westport Police soon located Rappaport's car traveling westbound on Post Road East, where the officer witnessed the vehicle swerving between lanes, stopping fo…
CT Woman Charged With DUI After Hitting Car At Restaurant, Fleeing
A 33-year-old Connecticut woman has been charged with alleged DUI and other crimes, including fighting with police, after she struck another vehicle and fled the scene.
New Haven County resident Uniese Rivera, age 33, of Milford, was charged on Sunday, July 7 in Milford.
According to Milford Police, an officer spotted a vehicle driving erratically on Bridgeport Avenue and stopped the car.
The driver, identified as Rivera, was found to be intoxicated, the department said. Around the same time, dispatch received a call that the same vehicle had struck another vehicle in the Pi…
