MONROE, CT — A 19-year-old Trumbull man was taken to St. Vincent’s Medical Center with what appeared to be serious injuries to his neck and chest, as well as cuts, Saturday night, after crashing a black 2012 BMW 135i into a utility pole on Monroe Turnpike, near Trailsend Drive, where the car burst into flames.
The crash is being investigated by the Monroe Police Department Serious Accident Investigation Team.
At approximately 9:01 p.m., a police officer was driving north behind four vehicles on Route 111, just north of Old Zoar Road south, when the BMW, which was second from the front, illegally passed the vehicle in front of it while negotiating a right curve, according to the report.
Police said the BMW crossed over the double yellow center line, going completely into the other lane, while traveling at a high rate of speed.
The driver reportedly shut off his exterior lights and continued passed Highland Drive.
The officer lost sight of the vehicle, then observed a large amount of sparks from a utility pole by Trailside Drive.
The vehicle had struck the pole and the man got out of the driver’s side as smoke came from the engine compartment, police said. Then the car burst into flames, becoming completely engulfed.
Officers immediately treated the driver for wounds, before Monroe Volunteer Emergency Medical Service members and a paramedic arrived on scene, police said, adding he had further treatment and was taken to the hospital.
Stevenson firefighters extinguished the car fire with assistance from the Monroe Volunteer Fire Department.
The road was closed during the investigation and Eversource was called for a power outage in the area, though police said no downed wires were visible. The driver was not charged in the accident due to the pending investigation.
A threatening letter
An 88-year-old Monroe man told police he received a threatening letter Saturday from someone accusing him of riding a bicycle while leaving bottles, cans and other items up and down Route 110. The writer told him a group of people spotted him and he would either be arrested or they would cause him physical injury.
He told police he believes he was confused for someone else.
Police said the letter was typed on a single sheet of paper and postmarked from Hartford on May 4.
There was no identifying information to prove where the letter came from and no suspicious activity was observed at the victim’s house, according to the report.
Officers told the man to report any suspicious activity in the future.
Stolen driver’s license, leads to E-ZPass fine
A 74-year-old Monroe man, who received a $52 fine for an E-ZPass violation in New Jersey, told officers he believes his new Connecticut driver’s license was stolen from his mailbox, according to a police complaint made Friday.
Police said the offending vehicle had a temporary registration plate linked to the victim’s address when it passed through a checkpoint at the Essex Toll Plaza on April 20. The victim told officers he never applied for a temporary plate.
The Monroe resident is concerned that someone may have taken his license information and fraudulently registered the temporary plate to his address, police said.
The victim told police the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles informed him he would receive a new driver’s license within 20 days on November 16, 2022. When he did not receive it, he notified the DMV in February, according to the report.
Police said he was told the license was mailed out during the 20-day time frame, adding the DMV issued him a new license two weeks ago.
The man was advised to follow up with the DMV to check for fraudulent activities and to contact E-ZPass to dispute the violation. He was also advised to reach out to financial institutions he does business with and the three major credit bureaus to monitor any fraudulent activities on his accounts.
Motor vehicle accident leads to warrant arrest
A 33-year-old New Haven man was arrested on a Hamden warrant charging him with conspiracy to commit violation of a protective order after being involved in a minor two-vehicle-crash on Route 34, near Route 111, in Monroe Saturday night.
Monroe police held the suspect at headquarters until Hamden police officers arrived to take him into custody.
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