MONROE, CT — Police officers used a pay stub to track down a driver, who allegedly evaded the scene of a rollover crash on Elm Street on June 25.
Police said they believe Berlain Velasquez-Hernandez was heading west on East Maiden Lane in a Nissan Altima when he failed to stop at a stop sign at the intersection with Elm Street, crossed over Elm and struck a grass ridge, causing his vehicle to rollover, before coming to rest on its roof in a residential driveway in the 600-block of Elm Street.
Officers responding to the call at around 7:46 a.m. found the Nissan, but the driver had already left the scene, according to the report.
A pay stub found inside Velasquez-Hernandez’s car led police to his employer, where they caught up to him at work.
Police said Velasquez-Hernandez admitted to being the driver during the crash. He did not have a valid driver’s license and the vehicle was unregistered and uninsured, according to police.
Velasquez-Hernandez was charged with operating an unregistered motor vehicle, operating a motor vehicle without insurance, operating a vehicle without a license, evading responsibility and failure to obey a stop sign.
He was released on $500 bond for a July 6 court date.
ATV flips over
A local man turned himself in on a warrant on June 25 for several alleged motor vehicle violations stemming from an incident on May 16, when his ATV flipped over at Barn Hill Road and Route 110.
Christopher Mitchell, 38, of Moose Hill Road, was charged with operating an unregistered ATV, failure to yield while crossing a highway in an ATV, failure to insure a private motor vehicle, interfering and resisting arrest. He was released on a written promise to appear in court on July 5.
On May 16, police officers responded to the report of an accident at Barn Hill Road and Route 110 at around 1:32 a.m.
The caller told them he found the tipped over ATV and stopped to make sure the driver was okay. He told officers the driver asked him for help in getting his ATV back onto its wheels. Then he drove off.
An officer patrolling the area saw a bald man wearing a black hoodie, who had a cut on his forehead, walking south on Route 110 toward Wheeler Road. When he saw the police cruiser, he jumped over a guardrail and officers believe he ran through backyards, according to the report.
A police canine was brought in from Westport to help with the search, but they could not find him.
The Polaris off-road vehicle was later found at the golf course.
The next day, police said Mitchell came to the police department and spoke to an officer. He said he was okay and just had a one-inch cut on his forehead, police said.
Mitchell told the officer he was driving to a friend’s house on Barn Hill when the clutch locked up, he over-corrected and his ATV flipped over.
Business reports fraud
Advanced Periodontics, an Elm Street practice, told police someone made several attempts to fraudulently open a credit card in its name.
Police said the identity thief tried to open a card through six credit card companies over a span from May 28 through June 28. The case was referred to the Detective Bureau for further investigation.
Crash into a utility pole
A Stratford female escaped injury when her vehicle crashed into a utility pole on Judd Road Thursday evening.
She told officers she was heading south and negotiating a left curve when a white SUV coming from the opposite direction went into her lane, causing her to swerve to her right and strike the pole.
The other driver stopped momentarily, before leaving the scene, the young woman told police, who could not find the other driver.
She was issued a written warning for failure to maintain her lane.
Theft from a vehicle
A pair of sunglasses were stolen from an unlocked vehicle parked on Wood Creek Road sometime overnight. The incident was reported Monday.
Police remind residents to always lock their vehicle doors and not to leave valuables inside.
