When the driver of a diesel truck noticed another driver was following him around town just before midnight Wednesday, he called police, who told him to pull into the police station parking lot on Fan Hill Road, so officers could handle the situation.
Police said the other driver, a 56-year-old Monroe man, followed the truck there in his green Jeep Wrangler, adding when officers approached the vehicle, they immediately smelled the odor of an alcoholic beverage.
The man, who lives on Gay Bower Road, spoke with a slurred speech and admitted to having drank five beers, according to police. He reportedly told officers the truck driver purposely revved his engine and got exhaust on his Jeep, so he followed him.
Field sobriety tests determined he was under the influence, leading to his arrest for operating under the influence of alcohol. He was released on $500 bond for a Dec. 9 court date.
Driver hits a curb, mailbox, garbage can …
A male juvenile drove a black 2003 Saab while heading north on Monroe Turnpike (Route 111) just before midnight Friday, when he lost control of the car on a curve near Bagburn Road and went off the right side of the roadway.
Police said the car struck the curb, the wooden A-frame of a mailbox, a garbage can and severed a utility pole before coming to rest on Route 111.
Police said the 17-year-old Monroe teen admitted to speeding and was issued an infraction for failure to maintain the proper lane and traveling too fast for conditions.
The youth, who cannot be identified because he is a juvenile, was evaluated at the scene by Monroe Volunteer Emergency Medical Service personnel, but refused transport, police said, adding firefighters also responded to the call because of the utility pole.
Eversource and Frontier was called about the damaged pole.
DUI arrest on Main Street
A Newburgh, N.Y., man was charged with DUI following a traffic top on Main Street Friday night.
Police said an officer drove south in the 300-block of Main Street around 7 p.m., before passing an SUV stopped in the north lane. As the police vehicle passed, the SUV started to move slowly, according to the report.
The officer turned around and followed the driver, who was going well below 30 mph in a 40 mph zone, then drove at alternating speeds between 28 and 51 mph, police said, adding the SUV crossed over the double yellow center line and the fog line several times.
The officer stopped the SUV in the 750-block of Main Street and spoke to the driver, who had glassy eyes, a slow and deliberate speech and the odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from him, according to police.
Field sobriety tests led to his arrest.
The 62-year-old man, who lives on Stewart Street in Newburgh, was charged with operating under the influence, traveling unreasonably fast and failure to maintain the proper lane. He was released on $500 bond for a Dec. 10 court date.
Credit card fraud
A Georges Lane man told police someone made $9,450 worth of fraudulent charges at home improvement stores on his credit card between Oct. 4 and Nov. 4.
Police said there was a total of 23 charges, according to the complaint filed on Friday.
Stolen truck recovered
Police recovered a pickup truck and trailer reported stolen out of Stratford Friday when a Cheryl Drive man reported a suspicious vehicle parked in front of his property for three days.
Click It or Ticket
Police issued 29 tickets for seat-belt violations to drivers between Nov. 26 and Monday as part of the national Click It or Ticket campaign.
Approximately 10,000 people, who were not wearing their seat belt, were killed in crashes involving passenger vehicles in 2017, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“We’ve always participated in these traffic enforcement grants to ensure the safety of the drivers in Monroe,” said Police Lt. Stephen Corrone.
