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Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection

Police & Fire
IDs Released For Men Who Drowned In Candlewood Lake IDs Released For Men Who Drowned In Candlewood Lake
IDs Released For Men Who Drowned In Candlewood Lake The names of two Fairfield County men who died after jumping into Candlewood Lake have been released. Related: Bodies Of Missing Danbury Swimmers Found In Candlewood Lake The bodies of Danbury residents Muzha Medardo Vayancela, age 26, and Loja Klever Guanuchi, age 36, were recovered by divers on Thursday, July 18, said Ethan Van Ness with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) on Friday, July 19. Vayancela and Guanuchi jumped into the water of Candlewood Lake on the evening of Monday, July 15, while boating with friends around 10:15 …

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Trooper Injured After I-84 Crash Causes Hours-Long Closure Trooper Injured After I-84 Crash Causes Hours-Long Closure
Trooper Injured After I-84 Crash Causes Hours-Long Closure A Connecticut State Police trooper was injured after an overnight crash that caused a three-hour closure on a stretch of I-84. It happened in Fairfield County just after 9 p.m. Friday, June 14, in Danbury. The 41-year-old trooper was inside her cruiser with the emergency lights activated at the scene of another accident on the shoulder on the westbound side between Exit 8 on and off ramps. A 2018 GMC Acadia was parked in the left lane near the on-ramp.  Connecticut State Police said a 2014 tractor-trailer was traveling in the right lane when the operator lost control of his vehi…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
Putnam Hunter Accused Of Killing, Skinning Pet Dogs From Ridgefield He Mistook For Coyotes Putnam Hunter Accused Of Killing, Skinning Pet Dogs From Ridgefield He Mistook For Coyotes
Putnam Hunter Accused Of Killing, Skinning Pet Dogs From Ridgefield He Mistook For Coyotes A New York man faces criminal charges after allegedly killing and skinning two pet dogs in Connecticut that he thought were coyotes.  Putnam County resident Michael Konschak, age 61, of Carmel, faces tampering with evidence, forgery, and hunting-related violation charges after allegedly killing the two dogs in northern Fairfield County on Friday, Nov. 18 after they escaped their owner's home.  Konschak was arrested by environmental conservation police associated with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental protection on Wednesday, Feb. 8, according to court documents.  The …

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by Ben Crnic
News
New Details Emerge After 10-Year-Old Boy Attacked By Black Bear In Connecticut New Details Emerge After 10-Year-Old Boy Attacked By Black Bear In Connecticut
New Details Emerge After 10-Year-Old Boy Attacked By Black Bear In Connecticut A 10-year-old Connecticut boy who was injured by a black bear was playing in his grandparent's backyard when the male bear attacked, according to multiple reports. The attack took place in the Litchfield County town of Morris at 11 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 16, according to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Officers from the state police and DEEP responded and shot the bear, authorities said. The boy's grandfather, James Butler, of Morris, told the Republican-American of Waterbury, his grandson was playing near a trampoline when the large male bear came out of thic…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Black Bear Attacks 10-Year-Old Boy In Connecticut Black Bear Attacks 10-Year-Old Boy In Connecticut
Black Bear Attacks 10-Year-Old Boy In Connecticut Updated story: New Details Emerge After CT 10-Year-Old Boy Attacked By Black Bear A 10-year-old boy was attacked by a black bear in Connecticut, officials reported. Police responded to the incident in the Litchfield County town of Morris at about 11 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 16, according to a spokesperson for the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. EnCon Police and Connecticut State Police responded to the scene.  The boy was taken to Charlotte Hungerford Hospital for treatment of injuries that appear to be non-life-threatening, officials sai…

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by Nicole Valinote
Police & Fire
Body Of Missing Swimmer Found By Divers In Candlewood Lake Body Of Missing Swimmer Found By Divers In Candlewood Lake
Body Of Missing Swimmer Found By Divers In Candlewood Lake Divers have recovered the body of a man who went missing while swimming on Candlewood Lake in Fairfield County. The man, in his 20s, was found around 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, June 28 in the area of the lake in Brookfield  -- near "Chicken Rock,'' -- where he went missing on Friday, June 24. The office of the chief state medical examiner will determine the cause and manner of death, said Will Healey, director of communication for the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Identification is pending positive identification and notification, Healey said The investi…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Body Found After Weeks-Long Search For Missing Man In Candlewood Lake, Officials Report Body Found After Weeks-Long Search For Missing Man In Candlewood Lake, Officials Report
Body Found After Weeks-Long Search For Missing Man In Candlewood Lake, Officials Report The Connecticut State Police Dive Team has recovered the body amid a search for a 24-year-old man who went missing in a lake last month. The 24-year-old man was reported missing on Sunday, May 29, after he went from a vessel into Candlewood Lake, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection reported. Patrol vessels and dive teams searched for the man each daily from the day he was reported missing until a body was found on Thursday, June 16, DEEP reported. Officials said the body was found in the same area of the lake where the man went missing. The Office of the Chie…

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by Nicole Valinote
News
Investigation Underway After Off-Duty Ridgefield Cop Kills Beloved Bear Investigation Underway After Off-Duty Ridgefield Cop Kills Beloved Bear
Investigation Underway After Off-Duty Ridgefield Cop Kills Beloved Bear State officials are investigating after the fatal shooting of Bobbi the Bear by an off-duty police officer in Northern Fairfield County. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and local police are investigating after the bear, a mother to two cubs, was found shot and killed in Newtown on Thursday, May 12. Bobbi, who was beloved by the Newtown community, was shot by an off-duty Ridgefield Police Department officer who was reportedly protecting his chicken coop at his home in Newtown.  The Ridgefield PD issued the following statement: "We are aware that on…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Second Man Dies After Four Boaters Pulled From Waters Off Fairfield County Coast Second Man Dies After Four Boaters Pulled From Waters Off Fairfield County Coast
Second Man Dies After Four Boaters Pulled From Waters Off Fairfield County Coast A second man has died after four boaters were pulled from the cold waters of the Long Island Sound on Easter morning. "We are saddened to report one additional fatality from this morning’s water rescue on the Long Island Sound," the Stamford Fire Department announced Sunday afternoon, April 17. Two others remain in critical, but stable condition. First-responders in Fairfield County received notification of a small boat in distress off of Shippan Point in Stamford at about 10:20 a.m. Sunday. A total of 22 Stamford firefighters responded as part of a marine rescue response, which included…

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by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
One Dead, Three Critical After Four Boaters Pulled From Waters Off Fairfield County Coast One Dead, Three Critical After Four Boaters Pulled From Waters Off Fairfield County Coast
One Dead, Three Critical After Four Boaters Pulled From Waters Off Fairfield County Coast Updated story: Second Man Dies After Four Boaters Pulled From Waters Off Fairfield County Coast One person is dead and three others in critical condition after four boaters were pulled from the cold waters of the Long Island Sound on Easter morning. First-responders in Fairfield County received notification of a small boat in distress off of Shippan Point in Stamford at about 10:20 a.m. Sunday, April 17. A total of 22 Stamford firefighters responded as part of a marine rescue response, which included the department's fire boat and on-duty SCUBA divers, said Stamford Fire Department&n…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
Residents On Alert After Reports Of Bears Killing Chickens In New Canaan Residents On Alert After Reports Of Bears Killing Chickens In New Canaan
Residents On Alert After Reports Of Bears Killing Chickens In New Canaan Animal Control officers in Connecticut are warning residents to be on alert after bears reportedly got into an area chicken coop, killing at least two of them. In Fairfield County, the New Canaan Police Department issued a warning after bears killed multiple chickens as they prepare to fatten themselves up before hibernating for the winter. Animal Control Officer Allyson Halm said the coop was broken into sometime overnight between Saturday, Nov. 6 and Sunday, Nov. 7, and two chickens were killed, one of which was partially consumed. This is believed to be the first incident with a bear i…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Hiker Who Fell To His Death From Cliff ID'd As Danbury Man Hiker Who Fell To His Death From Cliff ID'd As Danbury Man
Hiker Who Fell To His Death From Cliff ID'd As Danbury Man A hiker who died after falling from a cliff at a park on the Housatonic River in Connecticut has been identified as a Fairfield County resident. Joao P. Lucas, age 39, of Danbury, died on Sunday, April 4, after being reported missing by others he was hiking at Lover's Leap State Park in New Milford, said DEEP Spokesman Will Healey. Officials responded to the park after receiving word that Lucas, who was last seen by those he was with from an overlook within the park, was missing, Healey said. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Environmental Conse…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
COVID-19: Candlewood Lake Parties, Gatherings Cited For Danbury's Spike In Cases, Officials Say COVID-19: Candlewood Lake Parties, Gatherings Cited For Danbury's Spike In Cases, Officials Say
Covid-19: Candlewood Lake Parties, Gatherings Cited For Danbury's Spike In Cases, Officials Say A string of parties and mass gatherings at Candlewood Lake have been cited as one of the leading reasons for Danbury’s spike in COVID-19 cases. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont and Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton said this week that the recent rise in cases in the city has been largely in younger people, and could have been spread through parties that have been held at the lake, located in both northern Fairfield and southern Litchfield counties, this month. Officials said that the gatherings are not following the state’s COVID-19 guidance, and that there have been reports of boaters strapping thems…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Woman, Man Accused Of Running Counterfeit CT, NY Scheme Involving Car Titles, Insurance Cards Woman, Man Accused Of Running Counterfeit CT, NY Scheme Involving Car Titles, Insurance Cards
Woman, Man Accused Of Running Counterfeit CT, NY Scheme Involving Car Titles, Insurance Cards Two Connecticut residents are facing charges for an alleged elaborate counterfeiting operation that expanded into New York. An investigation was launched by the Monroe Police Department in February when an area resident purchased a motor vehicle with a fraudulent title. An extensive, multi-agency investigation was launched, which led them to identify Krista Karch and Orlando Dominguez, both residents of Essex, Connecticut, in Middlesex County, as possible suspects. According to police, it was determined that Dominguez allegedly produced counterfeit New York and Connecticut car titles…

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by Zak Failla
News
Man, Dog Bitten By Bear While Walking Connecticut Trail Man, Dog Bitten By Bear While Walking Connecticut Trail
Man, Dog Bitten By Bear While Walking Connecticut Trail A man and one of his dogs were bitten by a bear in Connecticut over the weekend in Hartford County.  Simsbury Police Sgt. Brad Chase said that at approximately 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, July 5, a man was walking his three dogs in the McLean Game Refuge off Firetown Road when they encountered a bear. Chase said that the bear bit the dog, and while attempting to intervene, he too was bitten in the leg by the bear. The man sought medical attention and was treated for the non-life-threatening injury. During the incident, one of the dogs, a 50-pound golden retriever named Lucy, got loose, thou…

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by Zak Failla
News
New Bear Sighting Reported In Ridgefield New Bear Sighting Reported In Ridgefield
New Bear Sighting Reported In Ridgefield Some area residents received an unexpected visitor, as a bear took a stroll through a local neighborhood. Animal Control officers from the Ridgefield Police Department received a report at approximately 8 a.m. on Tuesday, May 26, of a black bear that was making the rounds on High Ridge Avenue. Police said that the bear was spotted walking down the roadway, though it did not present any danger as it headed south on High Ridge Avenue. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection was alerted, and the bear shuffled off without incident. Officials warned that bears are…

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by Zak Failla
News
Alert Issued For Increased Deer, Coyote Activity In Area Alert Issued For Increased Deer, Coyote Activity In Area
Alert Issued For Increased Deer, Coyote Activity In Area As fall slowly begins to transition into winter, animal control officials in Fairfield County are warning that there may be an increase in deer and coyote activity in the area. The New Canaan Police Department issued an alert warning that “the hunting and breeding has these animals on the move.  Residents should be alert on the roadways and protect their pets from possible encounters with buck and coyote. “Southwest residents should not let their guard down despite the continued leg-hold trapping and killing of coyote in their neighborhoods.” Earlier this month, a small dog on a leash…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
NY, CT Spar Over Dumping In Long Island Sound NY, CT Spar Over Dumping In Long Island Sound
NY, CT Spar Over Dumping In Long Island Sound Connecticut and New York disagree about whether Long Island Sound should be a toxic dumping ground. A federal court battle over Connecticut’s dumping of sediment in the eastern portion of Long Island Sound is expected to heat up this summer. Connecticut defends dredging as a method of keeping harbors and navigation routes open. it argues that its new underwater dump site helps the economy. It also protects survival of the submarine base in New London and a submarine construction business at Electric Boat's shipyard. Connecticut argues that dumping dredged material in the eastern sound is e…

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
Massive Search For Teen Swimmer Who Went Missing In Candlewood Lake Massive Search For Teen Swimmer Who Went Missing In Candlewood Lake
Massive Search For Teen Swimmer Who Went Missing In Candlewood Lake A massive search is continuing for a missing 17-year-old teen who went missing on Monday, May 27, while swimming with friends at Candlewood Lake in New Milford. The search, which many are now calling a recovery effort, began around 4 p.m. on Monday when three teens reported that one of their friends had not surfaced after going underway, said News 12.  Searchers, including K-9s, divers and local police marine units as well as Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Newtown Underwater Search and Rescue and New Milford Rescue, worked until dark. The teen boy,…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Small Plane From Westchester County Airport Crashes Onto HS Baseball Field Small Plane From Westchester County Airport Crashes Onto HS Baseball Field
Small Plane From Westchester County Airport Crashes Onto HS Baseball Field A pilot and passenger were injured and hospitalized when a small plane flying out of Westchester County Airport lost power and crashed onto a baseball field in Connecticut. Connecticut State Police troopers responded to the Wilcox Technical High School in Meriden shortly before 7:20 p.m. on Thursday, April 11, after the four-seater, single-engine plane went down on state property. According to police investigators, the airplane lost power and clipped a high tension wire, causing a “significant” loss of power throughout the city. The pilot was transported by ambulance to Saint Mary’s Hospita…

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
Rare Seal Sighting: Young Calf Spotted On Long Island Sound Beach Rare Seal Sighting: Young Calf Spotted On Long Island Sound Beach
Rare Seal Sighting: Young Calf Spotted On Long Island Sound Beach There was a real "wildlife" treat when a harp seal decided to sun itself for several hours on the Long Island Sound in Fairfield County. A pretty rare sight -- seals seldom come onshore in that area unless ill -- the seal was judged by wildlife officials from Mystic Aquarium and Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to be about 1 or 2 years old and was in good health on Sasco Beach in the Town of Fairfield. "He was just soaking up the sun and rolling around," said Fairfield Animal Control Officer Paul Miller of the seal who showed up around 11 a.m. on Wednesday, M…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Body Of First Pygmy Sperm Whale On Long Island Sound Found Body Of First Pygmy Sperm Whale On Long Island Sound Found
Body Of First Pygmy Sperm Whale On Long Island Sound Found One week after a request for the person who had taken the carcass of a rare pygmy sperm whale from a beach in FairfieldCounty to return it, the whale has been recovered. The Town of Stratford said the whale, the first spotted on Long Island Sound, that washed up on Russian Beach before disappearing last month has been found. The statement was issued by officials with the town, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, which all worked together to retrieve the whale. "Pygmy sperm whales are rather elusive and this may mark&…

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by Kathy Reakes
Lifestyle
Video: Reports Of Fox Sightings On Rise In Area Video: Reports Of Fox Sightings On Rise In Area
Video: Reports Of Fox Sightings On Rise In Area Winter is coming, and with it will come a rash of red fox sightings in suburban areas of New York and Connecticut. Foxes commonly live in close quarters with human residents in certain communities where they can find food, water and cover, according to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. They frequently take shelter in yards, parks, and golf courses, especially areas that are nearby suitable, undeveloped habitat. During the winter months, foxes expand their territories, primarily due to the decreased availability of prey and extreme weather in open spaces. Thi…

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by Zak Failla
News
Man Killed After Motorboat Capsizes In Candlewood Lake Man Killed After Motorboat Capsizes In Candlewood Lake
Man Killed After Motorboat Capsizes In Candlewood Lake A 48-year-old man was killed after he was dumped into Candlewood Lake in Brookfield when the 17-foot-boat he was in capsized. Gary Hayes of East Hartford was killed around 12:30 p.m. Sunday, another man, Joseph Miranda, 29, of Manchester, survived, said Chris Collibee, spokesman for the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. According to Collibee, after the boat capsized, Miranda, swam to shore to safety. Hayes was located in the water by EnCon police officers who responded to the scene. He was transported to Danbury Hospital where he was later pronounced dead. Mira…

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by Kathy Reakes