The rider and passenger of a Harley Davidson motorcycle involved in a two-vehicle-crash on Monroe Turnpike Thursday night had their conditions upgraded to stable as of Friday morning, according to police.
Robert Christiani, 57, of 10 Sciortino Road in Trumbull, and his passenger, Phyllis Grassi, 56, of Clover Street in Ansonia, are being treated at Bridgeport Hospital after being admitted with serious injuries.
The other driver, who police say struck the motorcycle as it headed south with her Jeep Cherokee, while making a left turn into the plaza at the corner of Route 111 and Elm Street just before 6 p.m., was identified as Martha Dubail, 80, of Monroe.
She was in the left turn lane on the north side of Route 111 just before the crash, police said. Dubail was driven home by a family member.
No one has been charged in the crash, which is being investigated by the Monroe Police Department’s Serious Crash Investigation Team.
Monroe Turnpike was closed from Elm Street to Gay Bower Road from 6:49 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday as officers conducted the investigation.
Firefighters from Monroe, Stepney and Stevenson also responded to the scene, along with the Monroe Emergency Medical Service.
From a vehicle theft to arson
A white 2015 Chevy Tahoe reported stolen from a driveway on Pilgrim Lane Monday, after the keys were left inside the vehicle, was recovered by Bridgeport police. The owner picked up his Chevy, but that wasn’t the end of the story.
Firefighters and officers were called to a vehicle fire at 35 Corporate Drive in Monroe at 12:42 a.m. Wednesday and police said the vehicle was engulfed in flames when they arrived.
It was later identified as the same Chevy Tahoe by the registration plate. When notified of the fire, the Pilgrim Lane resident told police he had stored the Tahoe on a property in Newtown and had no idea why it was on Corporate Drive.
Police told him to file a stolen vehicle report at the Newtown Police Department.
Now the case has become an arson investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the Monroe Police Department’s Detective Division at 203-452-2831 or the Monroe Police Department’s Anonymous Tip Line at 203-452-2839.
Shotgun stolen from garage
A burglary in progress was reported early Wednesday morning when someone entered a garage on Nickel Place and stole a shotgun.
Police said an occupant of the house chased the man, who was wearing a black hoodie, but did not catch him.
Officers responding to the 12:55 a.m. call did not have a K-9 available in the area, so the Milford Police Department provided a dog to track the suspect, but the search came up empty, according to police.
Post Office heist fallout
Fraud complaints continue to trickle in since the large drive-thru mailbox was broken into at the US. Postal Service on Monroe Turnpike and all the mail inside was stolen last week.
An Elm Street man told police Thursday that a $500 check he placed in the mailbox was altered and cashed.
Another Monroe man reported Tuesday that a $1,518 check he put in the mailbox was altered to change it to a $6,276 check, then cashed.
Also reported Tuesday, a woman told police a $5,632 check was fraudulently cashed from her account.
Lt. Stephen C0rrone said the Post Office theft is an ongoing problem in the region. Police are working together with the United States Postal Inspection Service in investigating the theft.
In a Facebook post, the Monroe Police Department asked residents who dropped mail in the drive-thru mailbox at the 270 Monroe Turnpike facility after 4 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 14, and before 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 15, to monitor their accounts for fraudulent activity and to report any instance of fraud to them.
The non-emergency number for the Monroe Police Department is 203-261-3622.
Concession stand burglary
The concession stand at the football field at Wolfe Park was broken into during the night, according to a burglary complaint filed Wednesday.
Police said the door was kicked in and access was made to the equipment room, but an attempt to gain entry to the concession area where the food is kept was unsuccessful.
It is unknown whether any items were missing.
A stolen chainsaw
A chainsaw was reported stolen from a shed without doors on Great Hollow Drive Tuesday. The homeowner told officers she believes the theft took place two nights before she filed the report, police said.
