An Easton man was charged with DUI after crashing his Dodge Ram truck into a tree in the 200-block of Judd Road, before the vehicle rolled over onto its roof Wednesday afternoon.
The driver, David Hart, 69, of 105 Bayberry Lane, appeared uninjured and was standing outside the pickup truck when officers arrived around 2:45 p.m., according to the report. Trumbull Emergency Medical Services personnel also responded to the scene, but Hart refused a trip to the hospital.
Police said Hart spoke with a slurred speech, had glassy eyes and the odor of an alcoholic beverage on him. Witnesses reported seeing Hart swerve while driving, crossing the yellow center line several times before the crash, the police said.
Field sobriety tests determined Hart was under the influence, leading to his arrest, according to police.
He was charged with operating under the influence and failure to drive in the proper lane. Bond was set at $500 for a Dec. 16 court date.
Thief steals cigarettes
Police are investigating a theft of a $119 carton of Salem 100s from the Shell gas station at 133 Main St. Monday morning.
A white man, who appeared to be in his 30s or early 40s, entered the convenience store around 10:45 a.m., walked right up to the counter and asked for the cigarettes. When the clerk was ringing up the purchase, police said the man grabbed the carton, ran out outside to a vehicle parked in front of the store and drove off.
The suspect is described as having short hair with a receding hairline and a goatee, who was wearing a black sweatshirt and dark colored shorts.
Crash into three mailboxes …
It was snowing and roads were icy when an East Hartford woman drove west on Cottage Street Monday morning and lost control of her Lexus IS250 on a curve. Her vehicle went off the right side of the road and over the curb, striking a mailbox on Cottage Street, two mailboxes on Birch Trail and a utility pole, then coming to rest before a guardrail, according to police.
The driver, Julie Dinh, 29, of Sunrise Lane in East Hartford, was not injured, police said, adding she was issued an infraction for traveling too fast for conditions.
The crash occurred around 8:22 a.m.
Over $8,000 in fraudulent charges
A Lynn Drive man reported six fraudulent charges resulting in over $8,000 of withdrawals from his bank account.
Police are investigating the complaint.
I.D. theft suspect caught in New London
Monroe officers drove to New London to pick up a man held by police there on a warrant Monday.
Jesse Staffieri, 31, of 851 Banks St. in New London, allegedly stole three checks from a Wallingford resident in August and used a Monroe bank to deposit $1,544 into his account.
Police said a photo of Staffieri matched the image of the man on the bank’s surveillance video, leading to the warrant for his arrest.
Staffieri was charged with fourth-degree larceny, second-degree forgery and third-degree identity theft. He was held on $15,000 bond and arraigned at court in Bridgeport the next day.
A domestic incident
A Melon Patch Lane man was arrested following a domestic violence complaint at his home Monday night.
Police said David J. Guinto argued with his wife, food was thrown and he allegedly kicked her on the outer part of her leg, knocking her down, then threatened to slash her tires.
He was released on a promise to appear in court the next day.
