Marine District Monthly Highlights - August 2015

Driving Under the Influence Arrest

On August 1, 2015 Officer Reilly and Heath were on patrol at Hammonasset Beach State Park when they y.iere dispatched to a reported motor vehicle accident in which the operator left the scene after hitting a parked vehicle. A description of the vehicle was given and a short time later the·officers located the vehicle with the operator sleeping while the engine was running. Officers eventually woke up the operator and conducted field sobriety tests on him, who they suspected was under the influence of alcoholic beverages. The operator denied any involvement in the minor accident even with fresh paint transfer on his vehicle. The operator was placed under arrest and processed at the State Police Barracks in Westbrook. The
operator was charged with Operating a Motor Vehicle While under the Influence of Alcohol I
Drugs and Evading Responsibility. Fishing Violations
On August 15, 2015 Officer Logiodice was dispatched to the Dock Road Boat Launch near Pleasure Beach in Waterford for a complaint of an individual keeping undersized scup and hiding them in the rocky shoreline. Officer Logiodice located an individual matching the description given by the complainant. The officer utilized his K-9 partner Ruger, to find all of the short scup in the rocks located near the suspect. The suspect was issued an infraction for the marine fisheries violation and all of the fish were seized as evidence.

On August 21, 2015 Officer Reilly was dispatched to the same location (Dock Road Boat Launch) for a similar complaint of people keeping undersized fish and hiding them in the rocks. Officer Reilly responded and utilized her K-9 partner, Hunter to locate the fish. K-9 Hunter located the ten scup hidden in a thermos under the rocks which required the team to wade into the water to retrieve the fish. The suspects were issue infractions for the fishe·ries violations and all of the fish were seized as evidence.

Boating Accident

During the evening hours of August 21, 2015, Officers from the Marine District were notified by the US Coast Guard of a serious boating accident that occurred off of Groton in the Thames River. A twenty three foot center console fishing vessel with two people on board had struck Black Rock off of Shennecossett Beach. The perator was seriously injured in the collision. The incident is still under investigation.


Boating Under the Influence

On August 29, 2015 officers from the Marine District responded to a vessel in distress call somewhere on the Connecticut River near Hurd State Park. They were assisted by Eastern District officers who conducted a search of the area by vessel. After numerous hours of searching the area, officers saw a vessel under way with several passengers on board being operated by a white male. The vessel was heading toward the Portland Riverside marina. Officers noticed that the vessel had no visible navigation lights displayed as required and they quickly observed clues that would indicate the operator was impaired or under the influence of alcohol and or drugs. After failing field sobriety tests on shore, the operator was arrested for Operating a Vessel while Under the Influence of alcohol I drugs and Failure to Display Prescribed Navigation Lights. The accused is scheduled to appear at Middletown Superior Court.

On August 29, 2015 officers from the East Marine Sector conducted a boating safety initiative at Barn Island Boat Launch in Stonington. During the course of the assignment they encountered
a male operating a small inflatable vessel. The operator did not have a required personal floatation device on board the vessel. Officers further suspected the male to be under the influence of alcohol and or drugs and also saw several empty and full beer cans in the vessel. During questioning the male initially stated that he was twenty one years old but then later admitted to being underage. A check of the male indicated that he had a history of alcohol related offenses. He also failed field sobriety tests conducted by officers. The accused was arrested and was processed accordingly at the Stonington Police Department. While being processed he refused to submit to further testing. The accused was charged with Operating a Vessel While under the Influence of Alcohol/ Drugs,Insufficient PFD's and Possession of Alcohol by a Minor. He was released after posting bond and is scheduled to appear in New London Superior Court.


West District Highlights - August 2015

During the month of August Western District officers investigated four Boating Accidents and members of BARU (Boating Accident Reconstruction Unit) assisted with other investigations throughout the state.

August was a busy month for boating enforcement on Candlewood Lake. Three Boating Under the Influence arrests were made. A large enforcement operation also took place on August 22, 2015 on Candlewood Lake for the Fireworks display.

Northwest officers made four Driving Under the Influence arrests during August, with three being on the same night of August 31st.


East District Highlights - AUGUST 2015

Serious Boating Incident / Boating Under the Influence

On the evening of Friday August 7, 2015, Sgt. Dwyer and Officers Arsenault, Danielson, Johnston and Ulkus responded along with Norwich PD and US Coast Guard to the Thames River, Norwich for a powerboat with six people aboard that grounded on rocks outside the channel.
Five people received injuries and were transported to Backus Hospital,Norwich for treatment. The incident remains under investigation.

On Sunday August 9111, Officers Ruggiero and Heath responded to Haddam Meadows State Park boat launch on the Connecticut River in Haddam for a reported single vessel accident with injuries. A 23 year old female passenger fell from her seat when the vessel turned and injured her arm when she fell onto an open portion of the motor. She was treated at a Middlesex Hospital;the 23 year old male operator was cited for operating an unregistered vessel.
While investigating the prior incident at Haddam Meadows on August gt\ Haddam fire officials notified Officers Ruggiero and Heath of another boating accident on the Connecticut River
south of their location. Further reports described a multi-vessel incident with injured people in the water. Officers Ruggiero and Heath, Sgt. Dwyer and Captain Lundin responded to Midway Marina in Haddam and found a 23 year old femaie received severe lacerations to her legs from being in the water behind a powerboat when it backed down on her and the vessel operator, who also received injuries from the propeller. Upon further investigation a 22 year old male (one of the other four people aboard) admitted to operating the vessel while the two victims were in the water. He was arrested for Reckless Boating First Oegree while Under the Influence of Alcohol and/or Drugs. He was accordingly and continues his case in Middletown Superior Court. The female victim was hospitalized, while the male victim was treated and released.

On Monday, August 17th Officers Vroman, Arsenault, Bouthillier, Lindo, Sgt. Dwyer and Captain Lundin responded to a report of a two vessel incident involving injuries at Bungee Lake, Woodstock . Officers found a male operator and 9 year old boy had been aboard a 17 foot open powerboat towing two teenagers when the vessel made a sharp turn, threw out the operator and boy then continued circling them for several minutes. A second private vessel with two men and three firemen responded, eventually colliding with the runaway vessel, successfully stopping it, a.nd rescuing the young boy and others from the water. The nine-year old received injuries from the towline and was transported to CCMC for treatment and observation. The incident remains under investigation.

Park Enforcement / Incidents

Throughout the month of August, EnCon Police officers were kept very busy monitoring state parks and recreation areas as hot weather and rainless weekends caused many parks to reach parking capacity and close. From parks such as Wadsworth Falls and Millers Pond to Scantic River, Bigelow Hollow and Gardner Lake, officers worked with local and state police to address parking and other issues. Numerous alcohol tickets were issued at Bigelow Hollow and other parks with alcohol prohibitions, while officers worked education and enforcement initiatives with DEEP State Park staff at Scantic River Linear Park to address various use issues there.
On the evening of August 11 Officer Bouthillier responded with Killingly Fire and EMS personnel when a 42 year old female slipped on a rock ledge at Old Furnace State Park and fell nearly 100 feet. Following a lengthy extrication, she was flown by LifeStar to Providence Hospital where she was treated for fractures to both legs and an arm.