MONROE, CT — An 89-year-old Newtown man told officers he was drowsy and fell asleep, before being involved in a rollover crash in his 2023 Toyota RAV4 in the 25-block of Route 59 Friday morning.
Monroe Volunteer Emergency Medical Service personnel took him to St. Vincent’s Medical Center for treatment of his injuries, according to police.
At approximately 10:29 a.m., police were called to the one-vehicle crash.
Police said the man was heading east on Route 59, toward Main Street, when his Toyota went off the roadway and struck a fire hydrant, traveled across someone’s front yard, side-swiped a mailbox and struck a tree stump, which made the vehicle rollover, before coming to rest on top of a retaining wall.
The Toyota was towed due to disabling damage.
Firefighters also responded to the incident.
Bus accidents
Police responded to two minor crashes involving school buses just minutes apart Friday afternoon.
At approximately 12:37 p.m., someone called police after a 66-year-old Gay Bower Road woman backing her 2015 Nissan Rogue out of her driveway struck the rear of a school bus, according to the report.
Police said the woman did not realize the bus was behind her with its lights on. There were children on the bus, but police said there were no injuries. The driver was given a verbal warning for improper backing.
Then officers were called to a second accident just after 1 p.m.
A 43-year-old Norwalk woman heading south on Monroe Turnpike in her black 2021 Toyota Highlander told officers she was looking down to change her music and didn’t realize a school bus had stopped in front of her with its lights flashing.
Police said she could not stop in time and struck the rear bumper of the bus, just south of Jeanette Street.
Students were on the bus, but police said there were no injuries.
The driver of the Toyota was issued an infraction for following too closely.
Rollover crash
A 17-year-old Trumbull male was taken to Bridgeport Hospital for medical treatment after crashing a gray 2016 Mazda CX5 into a tree on Josies Ring Road, near Grindstone Lane, Friday night.
At approximately 7:26 p.m., police said the teen was heading northeast on Josies Ring and attempted to negotiate a curve at Grindstone Lane when the vehicle went off the left side of the road and struck a tree.
The Mazda sustained heavy front end damage and the airbags deployed, police said.
Monroe EMS evaluated the driver and his passenger, another 17-year-old Trumbull male, before taking the driver to the hospital.
The driver was cited for failure to keep right on a curve and for violation of a passenger restriction.
Stolen energy drinks
A shoplifter made off with $218 worth of energy drinks from the Rite Aid pharmacy at 435 Main St. Saturday afternoon.
At around 2:05 p.m., officers were called to the store for a shoplifting in progress. The manager said a Black woman, who appeared to be in her 30s, wearing black pants, a white shirt and a black hat, stole cases of Red Bull and Monster energy drinks, before driving off in a black hatchback, heading south on Route 25.
Officers observed her traveling south in an erratic fashion, but were unable to catch up to the vehicle, police said. Monroe police notified the Trumbull Police Department and Troop G to be on the look out for the vehicle.
The matter was turned over to the Monroe Police Detective Division.
Distracted driving
A 26-year-old Bridgeport man reportedly looked down at his cellphone, while driving his black 2013 Toyota RAV4 north on Flint Ridge Road Saturday night, and did not see a black 2021 Chevy Blazer parked on the side of the road in front of him.
Police said he crashed into the back of the unoccupied, parked vehicle, just south of West Maiden Lane.
No injuries were reported and the driver was issued an infraction for improper use of his phone while driving. His vehicle sustained disabling damage and had to be towed.
The owner of the Chevy Blazer was cited for improper parking.
The accident occurred around 8:32 p.m.
Crash leads to DUI
A 23-year-old Stamford man was charged with DUI following a rollover crash in his 1996 BMW 328i on Oct. 6.
At approximately 10:29 p.m., police said he was driving in the 1300-block of Monroe Turnpike when his vehicle went off the road and through a lawn, before striking multiple objects in the rollover crash.
The man was sitting in the driver’s seat of the vehicle with the motor running when police arrived, and told officers he hit a wet area of the road before losing control of his BMW, according to the report.
Police said officers observed the road was dry.
The Stamford man had superficial injuries and was treated by EMS at the scene, police said.
While officers talked to him, they smelled the odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath, according to police, who said he spoke with a slurred speech, was mumbling and admitted he had been drinking alcohol.
He allegedly refused to participate in field sobriety tests, leading to his arrest. He was charged with DUI and failure to stay in the proper lane. He was released on $500 bond the next day for an Oct. 22 court date.
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