West Monthly Highlights June 2015

Reckless Operation

On 6/4/15, at approximately 17:45 hours, Officer Kiely was dispatched to Lover's Leap State Park In New Milford for a report of a motorcycles doing "burn outs" on the Falls River Bridge with the state Parl<. Officer Kiely met with a New Milford police officer who located four motorcycles on Lover's Leap Trail at the overlook. All operators were cooperative and made voluntary verbal admissions of operating on the Falls River Bridge and each doing a "burn out'' on the bridge.

Officer Kiely's investigation concluded that each of the "burn outs" caused significant damage to the bridge that is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. There was also evidence that the involved parties spun their motorcycles around in circles while "burning out". Approximately 6-7 steel panels were damaged. Each mark melted through the protective surface down to the steel significantly increasing the risks of corrosion. The Falls Rivers Bridge is also the main pedestrian walkway to safely cross over the Housatonic River, and connects both the East and West portions of the State Parle The actions of the involved parties were done in such a way to endanger the life of either pedestrian traffic walking on the bridge or involved parties spectating in said reckless behavior.
The four parties involved were charged with Criminal Mischief 2"d, Reckless Operation, and Illegal Use ofTrails/ Roads. They were each released on a summons with a $200.00 cash bond taken in the field.



Disorderly Conduct/ Breach

On 6/20/15 at approximately 02:30 hours, Officers Kiely and Hey were dispatched to Kettletown State Park Campground for the report of an intoxicated individual causing a disturbance. The accused was located at Camp Site #32 passed out, alone, inside his camping tent. A hand written note was found on the picnic table adjacent to his camp tent stating,"I left due to your scary out of control behavior".
The obvious odor of an alcoholic beverage was emanating from inside the tent and from his person.

Complainants stated that the accused was yelling obscenities and acting in a belligerent manner. He was observed almost falling into the fire several times before he passed out around 02:00 hours. The accused was issued an infraction for Creating a Public Disturbance and Violation of Quiet Hours and was later evicted from the park.



Enforce Motor Vehicle/ Boating

On 6/28/15 at approximately 09:00 hours, Officer Kiely was dispatched to Lattin's Cove State Boat Launch at Candlewood Lake in Danbury for a parking complaint of a three axle boat trailer and truck parked illegally causing a traffic hazard.
Officer Kiely was met by Sergeant Williams to assist with locating the owner of the truck and trailer. Upon investigation a query of the trailer's registration, was found to be expired as of 3/25/14 and did not belong to the trailer that it was affixed to. The truck was found to be valid and registered at which time sergeant Williams recalled having previous police encounters with the registered owner involving an oversized vessel on Candlewood Lake and an unregistered trailer.

The vessel registered, a 35' Fountain Lightening,was suspected to be operating on Candlewood Lake. Sergeant Williams successfully located the vessel in question and escorted it to Lattin's Cove. The vessel was not displaying the "G" (Grandfather) decal (As required) and lacked valid paperwork to show it could legally operate on Candlewood Lake in violation of C.G.R. 15-121-B15a(b)­ Candlewood Lake Special Regulations .

While on shore the accused could not produce valid paperwork for the trailer attached to his vehicle which he later admitted the trailer was unregistered and he placed his friend's camp trailer plate on instead.

The accused was issued a summons for committing the following violations; Misuse of Marker Plate, Towing Unregistered M/V, and Violation of Boating Regulation. He was released on a $500.00 Non-surety with a court date of 7/7/15, G.A. 3 Danbury.


On 6/9/15, at approximately 01:42 hours, Officers from the Western District and West Marine Sector responded to a boating accident at Lake Lillinonah In Newtown. Three individuals had been in a small aluminum boat powered by an electric trolling motor. Around dusk the three were returning to the boat launch when they shifted their weight inside the boat, causing the boat to swamp and take on water. All three went into the water as the boat sank. One of the three occupants had difficulty swimming and had to be pulled from the water by the other two, who then performed CPR on him. The two other occupants than began hiking through the woods of Paugusett State Forest in search of help and were able to flag down a Newtown Police Officer who happened to be driving by. Fire and Emergency services responded to the lake and were able to locate the third occupant. All three were transported to the Hospital for their injuries and later released. The boat owner was cited for Reckless boating in the Second Degree and Failure to have PFD's.

On 6/26/15, at approximately 23:56 hours, Officers were dispatched to Kettletown State Park Campground for the report of two campsites consuming alcohol (prohibited) and being disruptive shooting off fireworks. Officers arrived on scene at the campsite and found a male yelling at another while holding a beer. This subject was detained and during the course of the investigation he was found to have a $50,000 violation of probation warrant for his arrest. He was taken into for the warrant and was also cited for possession of alcohol and disorderly conduct. In addition,the other members of both campsites were cited for possession of alcohol and were evicted from the campground.


East Monthly Highlights .. June 2015

Fishing

On May 23rd 2015 Officer Ruggiero was patrolling the area around Pistapaug Reservoir and noticed a vehicle parked in a location indicating there might be illegal fishing taking place in the reservoir. Upon investigation he determined there were three people illegally fishing the reservoir and issued them all infractions for trespassing.

Boat Ramp Violation

On Monday June 151 2015 Officer Vroman was on patrol at the Black Pond Boat Ramp in Woodstock when a dirt bike.pulled in and upon seeing him, quickly left the area. Officer Vroman drove in the direction the bike had fled and found.the operator stopped with another dirt bike. Both bikes were unregistered and both operators were issued infractions for the same.

Park 81 Forest

On Wednesday June 3rd 2015 SCO Marvin was on patrol in Mansfield Hollow State Park when he notic.ed a vehicle pull into the upper parking lot of the Boat Ramp. The operator punched the gas and 'fish tailed' across the lot. SCO Marvin approached the operator and immediately smelled an alcoholic beverage and noticed the operator appeared to be under the influence. He called for officer backup at which time Officer Bouthillier responded. Officer Bouthillier investigated and upon the subject completing the Standardized Field Sobriety Testing she took him into custody at which time he was transported to the UCONN Police Department where he was further tested and processed. The subject was charged with Driving While Under the Influence and Disorderly Conduct. The vehicle was towed from the scene. He was released to the custody of his spouse with a $500 bond and is scheduled to appear in court.


Marine Monthly Mighlights - June 2015

Reckless Boating

On June 1, 2015, Officers from the Marine District received a complaint from the Old Saybrook Police Department of a boating acc ident at a local marina in which the operator fled the scene. Officers were given a description of the vessel. A short time later the vessel was located on the Connecticut River at a private fueldock. Damage was observed by officers on the swim platform and transom of the fifty foot vessel. The operator stated that he had just purchased the vessel and was bringing it to a new port. Several docked vessels and a sect ion of the marina dock were damaged as a result of the collision. The operator was charged with Reckless Operation of a Vessel,first degree and Failure to follow procedures regarding a boating accident. The accused is scheduled to appear in Middletown Super ior Court in June.



BUI Arrest

On June 6, 2015, EnCon Police officers were requested to assist the US Coast Guard with a forty foot vessel going in circles in Long Island Sound off of Clinton/ Westbrook . The operator could be seen slumped over the helm. The Coast Guard and a tow vessel crewman were able to get the vessel stopped and susp·ected the operator was under the influence of alcohol and or drugs. The operator appeared confused, was very unsteady and did not comply initially with the Coast Guard boarding officers. Standardized field sobriety tests were conducted on the operator who had admitted to consuming vodka . Officers were able to transport the suspect to shore where he was brought to the local State Police barracks. The accused refused to submit to any further testing. The operator was charged with operating a vessel while under the influence of intoxicating liquor and or drugs and scheduled to appear in Middletown Superior court later in the month.



Commercial Fishing Violation

On June 7, 2015, Officer Monday received a comp laint from a fisherman in Branford, who saw an individual hauling his gill net and taking fish from it. The complainant was in his vessel near the Thimble Islands. As he approached his fixed gill net, he noticed another boat, occupied by two individua ls taking fish out of it. The complainant recognized both of the fishermen as local men and asked why they were hauling his net. The accused stated he needed some fish for bait. The fish were Menhaden "bunker" and are commonly caught using a gill net. This activity and fishing method requires a license. The accused was later apprehended as he returned to shore from fishing and admitted to taking fish from another fisherman's gill net. The suspect was charged with molesting fishing gear and given a court date later in the month at New Haven Superior court.



Commercial Shellfish Violations

On June 22, 2015 Officer Stone conducted shellfish enforcement in the Housatonic River with assistance from members of the Bureau of Aquaculture. Numerous complaints have been received this year concerning seed oysterman illegally harvesting oversized oysters on natural shellfish beds. Oystermen are permitted to harvest seed oysters, two inches or smaller from prohibited natural beds. During the inspections, one seed oysterman had all of his catch (approximately 7,000 oysters) seized and returned to the waters for being oversized. He was charged with violating shellfish license regulations and given a court date in Milford Superior Court in July. The accused had been warned a year earlier for a similar violation. Six other seed oysterman received written warnings for violating shellfish license regulations concerning oversized seed oysters. The Division will continue to monitor the seed oyster fishermen as part of an ongoing initiative.