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Tolland County, CT

Police & Fire
Woman ID'd As Victim In Fatal 2-Vehicle Crash In Region Woman ID'd As Victim In Fatal 2-Vehicle Crash In Region
Woman ID'd As Victim In Fatal 2-Vehicle Crash In Region One person was killed and three others were hospitalized in a two-car Connecticut crash. It happened around 9 a.m. Saturday, April 20 in Windham County on Route 6 (Willimantic Road) in the town of Chaplin, Connecticut State Police said. A 2020 Nissan Murano, operated by a 77-year-old Tolland County man from the town on Mansfield, was traveling eastbound on Route 6 with a passenger in the front seat.  A 2008 Nissan Maxima, driven by a 35-year-old man from the town of Windham, was traveling westbound on Route 6, also with a passenger in the front seat.  The Mur…

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by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
Fatal Crash: 32-Year-Old From Region As Victim On I-84 Stretch Fatal Crash: 32-Year-Old From Region As Victim On I-84 Stretch
Fatal Crash: 32-Year-Old From Region As Victim On I-84 Stretch A 32-year-old has been identified as the victim of an overnight crash on a stretch of I-84 in Connecticut. The crash happened around 8:15 p.m. Saturday, April 13, on the westbound side in Hartford. A 2012 Honda Pilot EXL was driving near the entrance ramp to I-91 when officials say it hit a pedestrian before stopping in the left lane. The pedestrian, identified as Litchfield County resident Raphael Rodriguez, of Torrington, suffered severe life-threatening injuries and was transported to Saint Francis Hospital in Hartford, where he was pronounced dead, according to …

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by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
Alleged Massachusetts Fugitive Discovered In Connecticut After Unrelated 911 Call: Police Alleged Massachusetts Fugitive Discovered In Connecticut After Unrelated 911 Call: Police
Alleged Massachusetts Fugitive Discovered In Connecticut After Unrelated 911 Call: Police A man accused of domestic violence and strangulation in Massachusetts was caught in Connecticut when the cops were called on him for a different reason. The Tolland County incident occurred in the town of Stafford on Friday, April 5, according to Connecticut State Police. On that day, a School Street resident called the authorities on 30-year-old Marcus Lopez to report that he was unwelcome at the home. While police were investigating Lopez, who hails from Stafford, they discovered he had a felony arrest warrant in his name in connection to an alleged domestic assault and strangulation…

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by Sophie Grieser
Police & Fire
2 Men Found Dead In Lake In Region After Canoe Overturns 2 Men Found Dead In Lake In Region After Canoe Overturns
2 Men Found Dead In Lake In Region After Canoe Overturns Two Connecticut men were found dead in a lake after their canoe overturned. The incident occurred in Tolland County in Bolton at Lower Bolton Lake on Wednesday, March 13. According to Paul Copleman, spokesperson for the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, multiple fire departments responded with vessels and dive teams to search for the men. Dive teams recovered one man who was transported and pronounced dead at the hospital, Copleman said. Emergency responders recovered a second body during rescue efforts. The man was pronounced dead on the scene, he added. Cop…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Investigation Underway After Man Shot In His Home By Trooper In Region Investigation Underway After Man Shot In His Home By Trooper In Region
Investigation Underway After Man Shot In His Home By Trooper In Region An investigation is underway by the state Office of Inspector General, of an officer-involved shooting of a man who allegedly threatened police with knives at a home in Connecticut. The incident took place in Tolland County around 2:15 p.m., Friday, March 1 on Meadow Road in Bolton. Connecticut State Police received a report that a man, later identified as Maxim Nowak, age 29, of Bolton, was experiencing a mental health crisis, according to a report by the Inspector General's Office. Nowak’s family reported that Nowak was threatening to harm himself and others and was waving…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Fatal Crash: 45-Year-Old Killed In CT Crash Involving Massachusetts Resident, Age 32 Fatal Crash: 45-Year-Old Killed In CT Crash Involving Massachusetts Resident, Age 32
Fatal Crash: 45-Year-Old Killed In CT Crash Involving Massachusetts Resident, Age 32 One person was killed in a two-vehicle overnight crash in Connecticut. It happened around 2 a.m. Saturday, March 2 in Tolland County on the eastbound side of I-84 in the town of Union. One tractor-trailer was traveling in the right and another was traveling in the center lane before it veered right for an unknown reason and struck the truck in the right lane, Connecticut State Police said. The second tractor-trailer then overturned and slid on the roadway into the right shoulder, damaging approximately 250 feet of metal beam guardrail.  Both tractor-trailers …

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by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
4 Children Dead After Fire Rips Through Multi-Family Home In Region 4 Children Dead After Fire Rips Through Multi-Family Home In Region
4 Children Dead After Fire Rips Through Multi-Family Home In Region Four children all under the age of 12 died during a massive house fire overnight in northern Connecticut. Fire Update: Residents Donating To Help Somer Family That Lost 4 Children In Blaze The fire occurred in Tolland County around 10:25 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 2 at 44 Quality Ave., in the town of Somers. According to Somers Fire Marshal/Fire Chief John Roache, first-arriving firefighters had word that several people may be trapped inside. "Our initial personnel were on scene within 5 minutes and found the entire front of the house heavily involved in fire," said Roache.  Three r…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Monson Man, 55, Killed In Head-On Crash In Connecticut Monson Man, 55, Killed In Head-On Crash In Connecticut
Monson Man, 55, Killed In Head-On Crash In Connecticut An early-morning crash on a Connecticut roadway has left one man dead and another injured. It happened the morning of Tuesday, Nov. 28 in the small Tolland County town of Willington. According to Connecticut State Police, 55-year-old Western Massachusetts resident Clifton Graves of the town of Monson in Hampden County, was driving south on River Road in his 2008 Cadillac CTS at approximately 4:30 a.m. At the same time, an 18-year-old from Stafford Springs was driving a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox north on River Road. Police said that near the intersection of Plains Road, the Chevrolet cros…

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by Sophie Grieser
Police & Fire
Former School Employee In Region Charged With Sexual Assault Of 11-Year-Old Boy Former School Employee In Region Charged With Sexual Assault Of 11-Year-Old Boy
Former School Employee In Region Charged With Sexual Assault Of 11-Year-Old Boy Connecticut State Police have arrested a former Connecticut school employee for allegedly sexually abusing an 11-year-old boy on numerous occasions.  Tolland County resident, Alyson Cranick, age 42, of Columbia, was charged with sexual assault on Tuesday, Nov. 14. According to the arrest warrant provided by state police, Cranick assaulted the boy during July and August of 2022.  During an interview with state police, the boy told investigators the two began their "relationship" via iMessage and Snapchat and then moved their communication to Discord after Cranick learned the …

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by Kathy Reakes
News
CT Man Gets Prison Time For Tax Evasion: Ordered To Pay Over $160K To IRS CT Man Gets Prison Time For Tax Evasion: Ordered To Pay Over $160K To IRS
CT Man Gets Prison Time For Tax Evasion: Ordered To Pay Over $160K To IRS A 61-year-old Connecticut man will spend time in prison for filing a false tax return and providing false documentation to an Internal Revenue Service attorney, federal officials announced.  Tolland County resident David Kamal, age 61, of Stafford, was sentenced on Monday, Sept. 11 to eight months in prison for tax evasion, the US Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut announced.  Earlier Report - CT Man Charged With Tax Fraud, Obstruction, ID Theft Offenses According to federal officials, Kamal, a former Hebron resident, purposefully evaded taxes for the 2012 tax…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Teen Seriously Injured At College In Region After Being Pinned By Vehicle Teen Seriously Injured At College In Region After Being Pinned By Vehicle
Teen Seriously Injured At College In Region After Being Pinned By Vehicle A 16-year-old was seriously injured during an accident outside of a University of Connecticut building while helping a student move in. The incident took place in Tolland County in Storrs around 10 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 27 on the UConn campus. Emergency personnel were called to the North Residence Halls complex on a report of a person struck by a vehicle, said Stephanie Reitz, a UConn spokesperson. The 16-year-old individual, who is not a UConn student, was seriously injured after being pinned against a building, Reitz said. Reitz said early information from the scene indicates the person wa…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
NASCAR Driver From Region Flips Multiple Times In Crash: Now On His Way Home NASCAR Driver From Region Flips Multiple Times In Crash: Now On His Way Home
NASCAR Driver From Region Flips Multiple Times In Crash: Now On His Way Home A NASCAR driver from Connecticut is recovering after losing control of his car during a race and flipping several times.  NASCAR driver Ryan Preece, who is originally from the Hartford County town of Berlin, was hospitalized on Saturday night, Aug. 26 following a violent crash at the Daytona International Speedway in Florida, according to multiple reports.  A video of the crash released by NASCAR shows Preece's vehicle flipping numerous times after being hit from behind by Erik Jones before finally coming to a rest, at which point flames can be seen coming from the wreck.  A look at wh…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Know Him Or This Vehicle? Bank Robbery Suspect On Loose In Region, Police Asking For Help Know Him Or This Vehicle? Bank Robbery Suspect On Loose In Region, Police Asking For Help
Know Him Or This Vehicle? Bank Robbery Suspect On Loose In Region, Police Asking For Help A bank robbery suspect is on the loose and Connecticut State Police are asking for the public's help in locating him. The incident happened at approximately 11:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 4 in Tolland County on Storrs Road in Mansfield.  The suspect suspect was reported to have fled the scene prior to police arrival and is believed to have fled the bank in an older model maroon Jeep Grand Cherokee.  The suspect is described as being about 5-foot-10 with a slender build, 30 to 40 years old, having a pale complexion, and wearing a dark hoodie, sunglasses, a baseball cap, tight black leggi…

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by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
New Update: Missing Boys, 12, Who Took SUV From Central Mass Found Safe in New York New Update: Missing Boys, 12, Who Took SUV From Central Mass Found Safe in New York
New Update: Missing Boys, 12, Who Took SUV From Central Mass Found Safe in New York New update: Police announced Wednesday morning, June 28, that two 12-year-old Massachusetts boys who drove away from home in an SUV have been found safe in New York.  Authorities did not release any further information, including where they were found in New York.  Amari Siders and Zyaire Siders were last seen on Monday, June 26, and in Worcester County were believed to be driving a white Toyota 4Runner Highlander with Massachusetts license plate 4AN622, Southbridge Police said.  Original report: Police in Worcester County are asking for the public's help to find two missi…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Fatal Crash: 27-Year-Old ID'd As Victim On I-84 In Tolland County Fatal Crash: 27-Year-Old ID'd As Victim On I-84 In Tolland County
Fatal Crash: 27-Year-Old ID'd As Victim On I-84 In Tolland County Police are investigating a fatal two-vehicle crash on a stretch of Interstate 84. It happened around 5:50 p.m. Saturday, June 17 in Tolland County, in the town of Vernon. A 2014 Honda RGL was traveling westbound in the center lane and a 2009 Nissan Altima was traveling in the left lane when the Altima sideswiped the pickup truck, then overcorrected causing the Nissan to strike the median and roll over, Connecticut State Police said. The collision caused disabling damage to the Altima and minor damage to the pickup truck.   The operator of the Nissan, Alejandr…

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by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
Death ID: Police Identified Man Who Perished In Fire In Region Death ID: Police Identified Man Who Perished In Fire In Region
Death ID: Police Identified Man Who Perished In Fire In Region Police have identified a man who was found dead following a fire at a Connecticut home. Tolland County resident Joel Kerr, age 66, of Vernon, was found dead on Sunday, June 11 inside a home at 144 Hany Lane in Vernon. According to Lt. Robert Marra of the Vernon Police, firefighters overhauling the house after the fire was extinguished found Kerr inside the home. Earlier report: Fatal Fire: Man In 60s Found Inside Burned-Out Vernon Home Members of the Vernon Police Detective Division, the State Police Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit, and The Office of the Chief Medical…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Fatal Fire: CT Man In 60s Found Inside Burned-Out Home Fatal Fire: CT Man In 60s Found Inside Burned-Out Home
Fatal Fire: CT Man In 60s Found Inside Burned-Out Home A Connecticut man in his 60s was found dead inside a home following a house fire. The fire took place in Tolland County around 11:30 p.m., Sunday, June 11 on Haney Lane in Vernon. According to Lt. Robert Marra of the Vernon Police, firefighters overhauling the house after the fire was extinguished found the body of a man in his 60s inside the home. Marra said police are waiting for final confirmation from the Connecticut Medical Examiner's Office before releasing the identity of the victim. Currently, officials with the Vernon Fire Marshal's Office along with the state Fire Marshal are in…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Woman From Region Misused PTO Funds, Arrested: Police Woman From Region Misused PTO Funds, Arrested: Police
Woman From Region Misused PTO Funds, Arrested: Police A Connecticut woman serving as president of a parent-teacher organization group allegedly drained approximately $12,000 from the group’s bank accounts, leaving them without enough money to hold school events, authorities alleged. Tolland County resident Marissa Marks, age 41,  of the town of Somers, was arrested on Tuesday, May 23 for allegedly misusing parent-teacher organization (PTO) funds, the Connecticut State Police reported. According to witness statements, Marks was elected to the Somers CT PTO in 2019, before Somers Public Schools shut down in-person classes due to COVID. Sh…

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by Sophie Grieser
Lifestyle
Homeless Shelter Deputy Director From Region Killed In Crash Remembered As 'Selfless' Homeless Shelter Deputy Director From Region Killed In Crash Remembered As 'Selfless'
Homeless Shelter Deputy Director From Region Killed In Crash Remembered As 'Selfless' A popular, fun-loving, and what many called "selfless" person was one of two people killed in a crash on a Connecticut highway. Tolland County resident, Bryan Flint Sr., age 64, of Ellington, was deputy director of the Cornerstone Foundation in the Rockville section of Vernon, died in the crash on I-95 on Sunday, May 7, which also injured his two grandchildren.  Related story: Head-On Crash: 2 Adults Killed, Pair Of Children Survive In Tolland County The foundation said on its website that their "hearts are broken," over the loss of Flint. "Bryan had a huge heart that was always…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Police Searching For Van Causing Serious Crash, Injuring West Springfield Man Police Searching For Van Causing Serious Crash, Injuring West Springfield Man
Police Searching For Van Causing Serious Crash, Injuring West Springfield Man Authorities are asking for help from the public in locating the driver of a van that crashed into a motorcycle in Connecticut and then drove away, leaving a Massachusetts man injured. The crash happened on Sunday, May 7 around 9:40 p.m. in Tolland County, at the intersection of Main Street (Route 190) and South Road (Route 83) in Somers, according to state police.  At the time of the crash, a motorcycle driven by a West Springfield, Massachusetts resident had been traveling east on Route 190 when it was cut off by the van, which was trying to turn left on South Road.  The van the…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Head-On Crash: Woman Killed, Second Driver Injured In Region Head-On Crash: Woman Killed, Second Driver Injured In Region
Head-On Crash: Woman Killed, Second Driver Injured In Region A 39-year-old Connecticut woman was killed after allegedly crossing the double-yellow line and hitting a pickup truck head-on.  The crash took place in Tolland County around 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, April 11, on Route 32 in Mansfield. Connecticut State Police said Vanessa Marie Rivero, of the town of Willington in Tolland County, was driving north on Route 32 near Mansfield City Road in a 2022 Volkswagen Jetta when she crossed the double-yellow line and hit a 2012 GMC Sierra head-on, before hitting a guardrail. Rivero was pronounced dead at the scene, state police said. The driver of the…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Teacher From Region Charged With Having 'Inappropriate Relationship' With Student Teacher From Region Charged With Having 'Inappropriate Relationship' With Student
Teacher From Region Charged With Having 'Inappropriate Relationship' With Student A Connecticut high school teacher is behind bars after admitting he had an "inappropriate relationship" with a student almost 10 years ago. Tolland County resident Kris Coffey, age 43, of Coventry, was charged on Friday, April 7 following a lengthy investigation by the Connecticut State Police. The investigation stemmed from an anonymous tip to the Department of Children and Family in early February, state police said. State police said the tip revealed that a Tolland High School teacher had an inappropriate relationship with a high school student sometime in the 2014-2015 school year…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Man From Region Used Revenge Porn To Victimize Ex-Girlfriend, Police Say Man From Region Used Revenge Porn To Victimize Ex-Girlfriend, Police Say
Man From Region Used Revenge Porn To Victimize Ex-Girlfriend, Police Say A Connecticut man has been arrested on a warrant for his involvement in "revenge porn" to victimize an ex-girlfriend. Tolland County resident Brian Swearengin, age 43, of Bolton, turned himself in on an arrest warrant in Hartford County to Manchester Police on Wednesday, March 15. The investigation began in January after the victim reported that Swearengin secretly recorded intimate encounters while they were in a relationship, said Lt. Ryan Shea of the Manchester Police. The relationship reportedly ended in December 2022. In the weeks following the break-up, Swearengin used ima…

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by Kathy Reakes
Business
Popular Restaurant Closes Flagship Location In Hartford County: 'Too Much For Us To Bear' Popular Restaurant Closes Flagship Location In Hartford County: 'Too Much For Us To Bear'
Popular Restaurant Closes Flagship Location In Hartford County: 'Too Much For Us To Bear' New, updated story: Popular Restaurant Closes Last Location In Vernon After 'Last Few, Very Difficult Years' After much deliberation, a beloved restaurant in Connecticut has decided to close its flagship location.  Hartford County staple Lucky Taco, located in Manchester at 829 Main St., announced on Sunday, March 12 that it would be permanently closing its original location after almost nine years in business.  On social media, the business's staff said that the decision to close the eatery was made after "long and careful consideration of where we've come and where we are going."  "The…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Stabber Who Confessed To 2022 Killing In Tolland County Nabbed: Police Stabber Who Confessed To 2022 Killing In Tolland County Nabbed: Police
Stabber Who Confessed To 2022 Killing In Tolland County Nabbed: Police A stabber who went free for five months after killing a man has been arrested, officials say.  In Tolland County, 68-year-old Robert Robbins called 911 on October 11, 2022, around 7:50 p.m. to confess that he had stabbed a person at an apartment in the town of Bolton, according to the Connecticut Police Department.  State troopers and EMS went to the apartment, located at 890 Boston Turnpike, to find the stab wound victim and provide aid. The victim died from his injuries after being transported to Manchester Hospital.  Eastern District Major Crime Detectives investigated th…

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by Morgan Gonzales
News
Construction Company Owner, Employee From Region Charged In Trench Collapse Construction Company Owner, Employee From Region Charged In Trench Collapse
Construction Company Owner, Employee From Region Charged In Trench Collapse The owner of a Connecticut construction company and an equipment operator has been charged with manslaughter in connection with the death of a worker who was buried in a collapsed trench. The incident took place in Tolland County on Friday, July 22, 2022, at a construction site in Vernon that killed Hartford County resident, Dennis Slater, age 56, of East Windsor. Hartford County resident Dennis Botticello, age 67, of Suffield, and Tolland County resident Glen Locke, age 65, of Somers, were charged on Friday, March 3 in connection with a fatal trench collapse, said Lt. Robert Marr…

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by Kathy Reakes
Obituaries
Little League Administrator, MA Native Dies: 'Would Drop What He Was Doing To Help' Little League Administrator, MA Native Dies: 'Would Drop What He Was Doing To Help'
Little League Administrator, MA Native Dies: 'Would Drop What He Was Doing To Help' A Massachusetts native who was heavily involved in the Connecticut State Little League organization has died at the age of 49.  Tolland County resident Everett Demers of Coventry died on Friday, Feb. 17 at the age of 49, according to his obituary.  Born in Worcester in 1974, Demers spent much of his childhood in Daytona Beach, Florida before coming back to New England in his late twenties where he worked for Abel Womack as a forklift manager and customer service manager.  After meeting his wife, Julie, in 2011 and marrying her in 2014, he then relocated to Coventry. It …

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Super Sniffer K9 Noses Out Intoxicated Northern CT Car Thief, State Police Say Super Sniffer K9 Noses Out Intoxicated Northern CT Car Thief, State Police Say
Super Sniffer K9 Noses Out Intoxicated Northern CT Car Thief, State Police Say A Connecticut State Police dog earned a few extra treats by aiding in the arrest of a car thief, officials say. Police responded to a report of a stolen pickup truck at an address in Tolland County on West Road in Ellington around 9:40 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 24, according to state police.  The pickup truck, a red Chevrolet CK1500, was last seen heading west on Route 83 towards the area of Rockville and Vernon. State troopers shared information about the report to the Vernon Police Department, who soon received a report of a suspicious red pickup parked at an apartment complex on Rega…

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by Morgan Gonzales
News
State Police Seek Witnesses To Serious Injury Crash In Region State Police Seek Witnesses To Serious Injury Crash In Region
State Police Seek Witnesses To Serious Injury Crash In Region Connecticut State Police are asking for witnesses to a serious crash that severely injured a 67-year-old man to come forward. The crash took place in Tolland County on the Tolland Turnpike in the area of Daleville Road in the town of Willington on Wednesday, Jan. 4. When troopers arrived on the scene, they found Ernest Bruce Carlson, of Willington suffering from suspected serious injuries after running off the roadway and hitting a tree, state police said. Carlson was transported to Hartford Hospital by members of the Willington Fire Department.  Tolland Turnpike was closed for …

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Bobcat Attack Reported In Northern CT Town, Animal Control Investigates Bobcat Attack Reported In Northern CT Town, Animal Control Investigates
Bobcat Attack Reported In Northern CT Town, Animal Control Investigates Authorities issued an alert after a bobcat attacked a man near his Connecticut home. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection was notified about a bobcat attack in Tolland County on Hunt Road in the town of Columbia on Friday, Dec. 23, the Town of Columbia reported. UPDATE: On Friday 12/23/22 CTDEEP was notified about a reported Bobcat attack on Hunt Rd. Town of Columbia's Animal... Posted by Town of Columbia, Connecticut on Friday, December 23, 2022 DEEP reported that a man said the bobcat was under his truck and attacked his leg. The man kicked the animal off…

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by Nicole Valinote
Police & Fire
Driver From Region Accused Of Speeding Through University's Campus In Region While Impaired Driver From Region Accused Of Speeding Through University's Campus In Region While Impaired
Driver From Region Accused Of Speeding Through University's Campus In Region While Impaired A 33-year-old woman is accused of driving under the influence after police said she was caught speeding through the University of Connecticut's main campus early in the morning. Troopers in Tolland County saw a Chevrolet Equinox traveling south at a high rate of speed in the area of Storrs Road and Moulton Road in Mansfield at about 4 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 4, Connecticut State Police reported. Police clocked the Chevrolet at 65 mph in a 40 mph zone and then saw the vehicle traveling above 50 mph through the campus, authorities said.  State Police said the area is known to have pedestri…

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by Nicole Valinote