Drowning
On 8/9/06, Environmental Conservation Police Sgt Paul O'Connell and Officers Keith Schneider and Erin Crossman responded to a report of a drowning at Squantz Pond State Park. Officers determined that a 21 year-old New York City man was swimming approximately 1,000 feet west of the main beach when he went under and another swimmer with him called for help. Two lifeguards responded and brought the victim to shore. He was transported to Danbury Hospital by New Fairfield Ambulance where he was pronounced dead. Connecticut EnCon Police, and the New Fairfield Police Department and New Fairfield Fire Department assisted in the search for the victim.The drowning took place outside the designated swimming area at the park.
Arrest Warrant Executed
On 8/20/06, Environmental Conservation Police Captain Raul Camejo and Officers Matt Tomassone, Paul Hilli and Keith Schneider served an arrest warrant on a Morris resident for two counts of Risk of Injury to a minor, three counts of Reckless Endangerment 2nd degree, three counts of Reckless Boating 2nd degree and as a result of his actions at the time of his arrest, Interfering with a police officer.
The arrest warrant was issued after an investigation into an incident that occurred on Bantam Lake on 8/4/06 when a complaint was received of a boat on Bantam Lake interfering with a floatplane that was attempting to take off from the lake. The floatplane, owned and piloted by a Winsted resident, had landed on Bantam Lake to pick up two campers at Camp Hope. The pilot had been donating airplane rides to inner-city youth from Camp Hope on Tuesday's and Friday's to the two top campers of the week at the camp for a number of years. The pilot picked up two young female campers, age 12 and 13 and taxied back onto the lake to take off. As the floatplane began it's takeoff run a boat pulled in front of the plane and stopped, causing the pilot to abort the takeoff. The pilot taxied back to his starting position and again began his takeoff run. The same boat again cut in front of the floatplane and stopped causing the pilot to abort the second takeoff. Fearing for the safety of the two campers, the pilot returned to the dock at Camp Hope and dropped the campers off. The pilot then returned to the lake and attempted to take off a third time. The boat again attempted to cut off the floatplane, but the pilot was able to get airborne. Witnesses observed that the boat turned under the floatplane as it began to lift off the surface of the lake and came close to striking the floats.
The operator of the boat, who admitted to EnCon Officers that he pulled the boat into the flight path of the float plane and stopped in an effort to prevent the plane from taking off. The subject claimed that it was illegal for floatplanes to land or take off on Bantam Lake. There is no prohibition against floatplanes on Bantam Lake.
At the time of his arrest the subject resisted arrest and had to be physically subdued by the arresting officers resulting in the additional charge of Interfering with an officer. He was held on $35,000.00 bond and scheduled for arraignment in GA18 in Bantam on Monday 8/21/06.
Officer Saves Car Accident Victim
On 8/18/06, Environmental Conservation Police Officer John Hey was on routine patrol in Oxford where he pulled up to a one-car accident on Georges Hill Rd. The vehicle had gone off the road and struck a tree. The operator of the vehicle was severely injured and trapped in the vehicle. As Officer Hey approached the vehicle he determined that the vehicle was on fire and the operator could not be extracted. Officer Hey put out the fire before it reached the operator and assisted the operator until the arrival of the fire department and EMS personnel.
Drowning
On 8/22/06, Environmental Conservation Police Sgt Mark Shaw and Officers Laura Gregonis and Holly Bernier responded to a report of a drowning at Squantz Pond State Park in New Fairfield. Officers determined that a 23 year-old male from New York City had been swimming in the same non-swimming area where another person drowned earlier in the month. An off duty lifeguard pulled the victim from the water. The victim was transported to Danbury Hospital where he was pronounced dead. As with the first drowning, this incident was ruled an accident by the Chief Medical Examiner's Office.
Breach of Peace
On 8/5/06, Environmental Conservation Police Captain John Smutnick, Officers Chris Dwyer and John Graves responded to a report of a fight at the Hopeville State Park swimming area in Griswold. The officers learned that a large family group was celebrating a child's birthday party. The child's stepfather was observed choking the biological father while they were in the water. An argument continued to the picnic area and a bystander had called 911. The stepfather was arrested by Officer Dwyer and charged with Breach of Peace.
MV Accident Arrest
On 8/6/06, Environmental Conservation Police Officers Chris Dwyer and Dean Wojcik were dispatched to Green Falls campground at Pachaug State Forest in Voluntown for a report of a motor vehicle accident. At the scene they found a 23 year- old woman sitting on the side of the road with a laceration and injure wrist. The woman would not provide much information other than she was a passenger in a vehicle driven by another female. The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment. Several witnesses to the accident approached the officers and said that another female was driving the vehicle and that she had driven the vehicle to a campsite where two men met her. They covered the damage on the vehicle with a blanket, the female walked into the woods and one of the men called 911. The officers went to the campsite and found one man who was very uncooperative and said that he was asleep during the accident. They did observe drug paraphernalia on a picnic table, which belonged to the man. He was arrested for that crime and he was evicted from the campground. The officers were then summoned to the hospital where the injured victim and her boyfriend both identified the operator of the vehicle and stated that the male who was at the campsite was aware of the incident and had lied to the officers. The officers returned to the campground and with the assistance of a State Police K-9 unit began a search of the surrounding wooded area for the operator. The victim arrived a short time later and said the operator and the male had gone to a residence in Putnam. The officers went to that location and arrested the 24 year-old female operator for Evading Responsibility and Interfering with a Police Officer. The male was charged with Interfering with a Police Officer.
Narcotics Arrest
On 8/12/06 at 10:00 p.m., Environmental Conservation Police Officer Eric Johnson and Ed Pyznar were on patrol at Mansfield Hollow State Park where they observed three people in a vehicle parked in the picnic area after closing. A 24 year-old male, an 18 year-old female and a juvenile male were in the vehicle. Officer Johnson could smell burning marijuana and he recovered a marijuana cigarette from the juvenile. He also observed open containers of beer next to the juvenile and female. A backpack next to the juvenile contained two plastic straws with narcotic residue and nine plastic baggies with white powdery residue. A plastic case containing 2 grams of cocaine was recovered from the 24 year-old. The female was charged with Possession of Alcohol by a Minor and Simple Trespass, the juvenile was charged with Possession of Less Than 4 oz. of Marijuana and Simple Trespass and the adult male was charged with Possession of Cocaine, Providing Alcoholic Beverages to a Minor and Simple Trespass.
BUI Arrest
On 8/25/2006, Officers from the Marine District and Old Saybrook Police Dept. were conducting a Boating Enforcement Initiative on the Connecticut River in the vicinity of the Baldwin Bridge. At approximately 9:30 p.m., Environmental Conservation Police Officer Jim Kane saw a personal watercraft approaching the state access area under the Baldwin Bridge. It is illegal for personal watercraft to operate after sunset. The operator was wearing a headlamp to assist him to navigate. Officer Kane stopped the subject, who appeared confused and disoriented. Officer Kane noted a strong odor of alcoholic beverages and had trouble operating his personal watercraft. The subject could not produce a certificate to operate a personal watercraft. After speaking with the operator, Officer Kane had the subject perform a series of field sobriety tests, which he failed. The operator was placed under arrest for boating under the influence and transported to Old Saybrook Police Dept. for processing.
BUI Arrest
On 8/12/2006, Environmental Conservation Police Sgt. Eric Lundin was contacted by the U.S. Coast Guard who was requesting assistance with a possibly intoxicated vessel operator off of Lighthouse Point in New Haven. Sgt. Lundin and Officer Cindy Schneider responded to the Coast Guard Station in New Haven. The Coast Guard had a vessel in tow and the operator on board their vessel. The crew of the Coast Guard vessel stated that they were doing a routine safety boarding off of Lighthouse Park in New Haven Harbor. The operator of the vessel had difficulty standing, smelled of alcoholic beverages and admitted to drinking. Sgt. Lundin performed a series of field sobriety tests, which the subject failed. He was placed under arrest and transported to East Haven Police Dept. for processing. The subject agreed to take a breathalyzer test. The subject's blood alcohol content was .308 on the first test, over three times the legal limit. The subject was released on a promise to appear in New Haven Superior Court.
Illegal Lobsters
On 8/4/06, Environmental Conservation Police Officer Bruce Gagliardi was patrolling Stonington Point in Stonington where he observed a diver come out of the water and go to a vehicle that was in the parking lot. Officer Gagliardi approached the subject and saw a blue mesh bag in his possession. Officer Gagliardi inspected the bag and found that it contained seven lobsters. All of the lobsters were less than the minimum legal length. The subject was in possession of the current lobster gauge but did not gauge the lobsters. The subject was issued a summons for the violation and released. The lobsters were photographed and returned to the water.