EnCon Police Moderator
Registered: 03/01/04
Posts: 3899
Eastern District
Boating Accident Investigation Results in Arrest
Officer Pettus arrested Michael J. Antol, 41 of Middletown, CT on Friday, August 3, 2012 for multiple boating and criminal charges stemming from an incident that occurred on Mashapaug Lake in Union on April 21, 2012. Antol was arrested by EnCon Police at the Vernon Police Department on a warrant and arraigned on a $250,000 court set bond at GA 19 in Rockville, CT. Antol turned himself in to EnCon Police after learning of the warrant for his arrest through his attorney.
At approximately 11:30 PM on Saturday, April 21, 2012, EnCon Police responded to Mashapaug Lake in Union, CT for a reported boating crash with injuries. EnCon Police, assisted by the Connecticut State Police, investigated the report of a seventeen foot power boat that allegedly ran aground with two people on board. The passenger of the vessel, Richard J. Franas Jr., 40, of Amston, CT was rescued by EMS personnel from area Fire Departments and was taken to Johnson Memorial Hospital in Stafford. He was treated and later transferred to St. Francis Hospital in Hartford due to the severity of his injuries. Franas succumbed to his injuries and died on April 25th.
The operator of the 17 foot vessel, Michael J. Antol, escaped with only minor injuries in the incident. Antol was charged with Manslaughter Second Degree, Manslaughter Second Degree with a Vessel, Reckless Operation of a Vessel First Degree While Under the Influence, Failure To Maintain Proper Lookout While Operating Vessel, Operating a Vessel at Speed in Excess of Slow-No-Wake within 100 Feet of Shore, Failure to Comply with Federal Requirements Regarding Anchor Lights, Insufficient Personal Floatation Devices, and Exceeding 10 M.P.H. Speed Limit on Mashapaug Lake.
Park and Forest
On August 22, 2012 Officer Stanko made an arrest in a case stemming from incidents earlier in the year. On March 6, 2012 Officer Stanko received information that a man had been shooting a firearm from a motor vehicle in Mashamoquet State Park in Pomfret. Initial information was insufficient to make a case but through his contacts with the State Police, Troop D issued a BOLO for the suspect vehicle with a partial plate. Officer Stanko’s perseverance paid off with a trooper finding a suspect vehicle and passing the information on to Officer Stanko. He researched the potential suspect and learned there was a criminal history including a Misdemeanor Handgun Disqualification and a past felony conviction. Officer Stanko was unable to track the suspect immediately and again employed the assistance of CSP Troop D. Shortly thereafter, two Detectives, while en route to meet Officer Stanko identified the suspect vehicle and affected a motor vehicle stop which resulted in an immediate custodial arrest for felony charges by State Police. Officer Stanko was able to assist at the scene, interviewed the suspect while he was in custody at Troop D, and obtained a full confession for all offenses committed in the state park in March. Officer Stanko applied for and received a felony arrest warrant in this case for the suspect who was later arrested and processed at the State police Troop D barracks.
On August 4, 2012 EnCon Officers from the Eastern District conducted an enforcement initiative at Gardner Lake State Park. During the initiative Officer Stanko stopped a motorist that had seen the police activity at the entrance to the park and attempted to evade detection by backing out into traffic. Upon further investigation he determined the operator from Rhode Island was driving while intoxicated, operating while drinking, and operating without wearing required restraint device. The man was placed under arrest and transported to State police barracks for processing. It was later determined that the accused had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.11. The suspect was released on a $500 dollar non-surety bond with a later court date. The Initiative at Gardner Lake resulted in 23 arrests and 3 warnings for multiple violations.
On August 26, 2012 another State Park Enforcement Initiative was conducted at Bigelow Hollow State Park in Union, by Officers Danielson, Lindo, Williams, and Sgt. Tomassone. Numerous warnings were issued for motor vehicle violations and 7 arrests were made for various charges including alcohol violations, ATV’s, and parking issues.
Western District
Search & Rescue
Appalachian Trail During the evening August 1, 2012 EnCon Police with an EnCon K9 responded to the Appalachian Trail in Cornwall to assist in the search for a missing hiker. A husband and wife were in the process of through-hiking the AT from Georgia and they became separated. The husband called 911 to report his wife missing when he was unable to locate her. The female hiker was located safe the next morning.
Naugatuck State Forest On August 2, 2012 EnCon Police assisted the Naugatuck and Beacon Falls fire departments with a technical rescue of a hiker in Naugatuck State Forest in Naugatuck. The victim was allegedly hiking while under the influence and fell. The victim was transported by EMS to Waterbury Hospital for treatment.
Sleeping Giant State Park On August 8, 2012 EnCon Police responded to two separate incidents at Sleeping Giant State Park. One victim fell and suffered a leg and hip injury. The victim was located and transported to Yale New Haven Hospital for evaluation.
The second search was for an injured person in the quarry. The subject was located by the Hamden fire department and lowered down by ropes from the face of the mountain. The victim had been climbing the wall and rocks broke loose striking the victim. The victim was transported to Yale New Haven Hospital for treatment.
On August 19, 2012 EnCon Police Officers Nick Miofski, Holly Bernier and EnCon Police K9 Sadie responded to the Campville area of Litchfield to assist the State Police in a search for a possible suicidal female. The female had reportedly overdosed on drugs and was in possession of a handgun which she claimed she had already shot herself once with. Contact was maintained with the female by the state police and she was successfully located before she could harm herself further. The female was transported to Waterbury Hospital for treatment.
Presidential Protection Detail
On August 6,, 2012 the President of the United States visited Stamford and Westport. Sherwood Island State Park was utilized by the United States Secret Service as a landing location for the President’s helicopters which transported him and his entourage to Connecticut from a New York airport. EnCon Police officers from the Western District and West Marine Sector were detailed to assist the Secret Service in securing Sherwood Island State Park and providing perimeter and landing zone security for the Presidential aircraft.
Boating Accident
On August 17, 2012, EnCon Police Officer Matt Stone responded to a report of a boat versus tuber accident on Lake Zoar in Monroe. A 12 year old female was acting as a spotter in her father’s ski boat watching a friend on the tube they were towing. When the boat turned and hit a wake at the same time the 12 year old female was ejected from the boat and went under the moving hull and was struck by the propeller. The victim suffered a laceration to her upper thigh and was transported to Bridgeport Hospital for treatment.
Larceny arrest
The Division of Environmental Conservation (EnCon) Police of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection made two arrests on Thursday, August 9, 2012 in a metal theft case that took place July 19th on State Property in Avon. William H. Diehl Jr., 47, of Ashford, CT and Richard A. Duclau Jr., 42, of Rogers, CT were both charged with Larceny 1st Degree, Conspiracy to Commit Larceny 1st Degree and Criminal Mischief 1st Degree, all felony charges. Diehl is being held on a $25,000 dollar bond and Duclau was released after posting a $5,000 dollar bond. Both men were processed at the Connecticut state Police Troop D barracks and are to be arraigned at Hartford Superior Court on August 20th.
The incident stems from an investigation begun by EnCon Police after receiving a report that a Flood Gate House on the Farmington River in Avon had been broken into and several of the flood gates had been dismantled and removed from the premises. The Flood Gate House is located on the Farmington River Water Access Area off New Road in Avon. The components that were stolen hold a replacement value of approximately $73 thousand dollars and the damage done during the removal is estimated to be $28 thousand dollars. The components are made of very large and intricate metal gears used historically to open and close the flood gates on a dam in the Farmington River located near the Historic Collinsville Section of town. The components weighed over one ton and were broken and sold for scrap for only $230 dollars.
EnCon Police were assisted in the investigation by Parole Officers from the State of Connecticut Department of Correction - Norwich Parole and Community Services and the Connecticut State Police Troop D.
Marine District
Park Enforcement
SCO Lewin received a report of a wrong-way driver exiting the campgrounds into the inbound lanes near the park main gate. Officer O’Brien made contact with the vehicle and driver, determining the 48 year old female was driving under the influence after failing field sobriety tests. She was arrested and transported to the State Police Barracks in Westbrook for processing. Later that same night, SCO Lewin responded to a reported male / female altercation in the campgrounds; the female was found to be extremely intoxicated and was sent to the hospital by ambulance via an emergency police committal.
Search and Rescue
On August 8, 2012 Officers Tavares, Arsenault and Reilly (with K-9 Hunter) responded to Pachaug State Forest, Griswold / Voluntown area to assist State Police. A search was conducted for a distraught 49 year old male, with a 3 year old child, wandering the forest area after being involved in a domestic incident on nearby private property. Sgt. Lundin also searched by air while beginning an aerial shellfish patrol with the State Police Aviation Unit. The male and child were soon located unharmed by ground search units and turned over to State Police.
On August 2, 2012 Officer Monday assisted US Coast Guard and Old Saybrook Police in looking for a vessel with several occupants overdue on a fishing trip from the Baldwin Bridge state launch on the Connecticut River into Long Island Sound. The boaters were soon located safely loading their vessel at the launch and the search was called off.
On August 25, 2012 Officers Chemacki, Reilly, and Sgt. Lundin responded to Hammonasset’s West Beach for a report of a small raft with two people that fell off into the water. Madison, Guilford and Clinton fire departments responded with vessels and a dive team to the area. Officer Reilly soon confirmed with a party on the beach that the found raft was theirs, no one had been on it, and that all family members were accounted for, successfully ending the search.
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