MONROE, CT — Police officers were assisting a driver with a disabled vehicle on Route 34 Friday night, when a driver in a black 2012 Jeep Wrangler plowed into the back of a police cruiser, which was parked with its emergency lights on, according to police.
The officers were already standing outside their vehicles, so neither was hurt, police said, adding the driver of the Jeep, a 59-year-old Milford man, suffered minor injuries on his forearm.
He was charged with DUI and failure to reduce speed and move over when approaching an emergency vehicle that is stationary. He was released on $500 bond for a future court date.
Police said the airbag inside the Jeep was deployed upon impact and there were fluids at the scene, so firefighters also responded to the crash, which occurred around 10:23 p.m.
Monroe Volunteer Emergency Medical Service personnel evaluated the driver.
The Jeep Wrangler and the damaged police cruiser were towed.
Thieves on video
Police officers responded to several reports of attempted thefts from vehicles in the early hours of Friday morning.
A 36-year-old Elm Street woman gave officers surveillance video showing someone wearing dark colored pants, a hoodie and a face mask run up her driveway and check the door handles of two parked vehicles at 3:18 a.m.
The doors were locked and no entry was made, police said, adding the suspect ran back to a light colored SUV and got in before it took off, heading south on Elm Street.
Officers received another complaint from a 30-year-old Walnut Street man who shared video of a white SUV stopping in front of his residence at 3:34 a.m. A passenger, wearing light colored pants, a hoodie and a face mask, got out and ran up to two unlocked vehicles in the driveway.
Police said the interior of both vehicles were rummaged through, but nothing appeared to be missing.
In a third incident, an 83-year-old Elm Street woman shared surveillance footage of a suspect wearing light colored pants and a hoodie entering her son’s unlocked vehicle at 3:16 a.m.
The woman’s son was out-of-state and had left his vehicle at her house, police said, adding she does not believe anything was taken.
Police said the home seemed to have a motion sensor camera, which only showed video of the suspect leaving the driveway and heading to the street.
A scavenger hunt
Teenagers involved in a scavenger hunt kept police officers busy Saturday night and led to two infractions for a driver under the age of 18. A 17-year-old Monroe male was cited for having eight teenagers in his vehicle and for driving after the 11 p.m. curfew.
The young driver was cited after a vehicle stop in the area of Lazy Brook Road. Police said the driver and his friends told officers they were participating in a scavenger hunt.
Earlier that night, officers had sent a group of juveniles gathered outside Masuk High School on their way, because it was after hours and no events were going on. Police said they were also involved in a scavenger hunt.
All respectful comments with the commenter’s first and last name are welcome.
