Driving under the influence
Collin Eldred, 28, of New Canaan, was sleeping in his car when Fairfield police approached him at around 11 a.m., Jan. 2. The car, in the BJ’s Wholesale Club parking lot on Black Rock Turnpike, was running and an open bottle of rum was in the car.
When officers attempted to wake Eldred, his foot came off the brake and the vehicle rolled several feet before stopping. Eldred claimed he had been drinking since 8 a.m. He failed a field sobriety test.
Eldred was charged with driving while intoxicated, no license and possession of less than a half ounce of marijuana. He failed to post a $100 bond.
Celebration earns charge
Sean Sweeney, 21, of New Milford, N.J., was charged with disorderly conduct after a celebration with a handful of friends at a Lantern Point rental home got too loud on Jan. 9.
Police arrived at the home after receiving complaints from neighbors. They could hear the celebrations more than 75 feet away.
When officers approached the house, six to seven people were inside singing “Under the Bridge” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Sweeney was released on a misdemeanor summons for a Jan. 21 court date.
Drug charges
Tiffany Drury, 20, of Main Street, Bridgeport, answered yes to Fairfield police when they asked if she had any marijuana in her car. It turns out she had 45.8 grams worth tucked under a seat.
Officers pulled Drury over because she had no visible license plate. When they could not get the vehicle identification number off of her windshield, they opened the door to check the labeling. That is when they smelled unburned marijuana.
Drury was charged on Jan. 8, at 9:05 p.m., with misuse of plates, failure to have insurance, driving an unregistered motor vehicle, illegal manufacture of a drug or narcotic, possession of less than 4 ounces of marijuana and illegal possession near a school.
She was issued a $500 bond for a Jan. 22 court date.
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Samantha Barnash, 25, of Fairfield Avenue, told officers “I don’t think so” when asked if she had marijuana in her vehicle according to police reports. The report mentions they probably were smelling the marijuana residue found in small compartment in the car.
What officers did not smell, but did find, was a small amount of cocaine in Barnash’s purse. They also found a pipe inside the vehicle.
Barnash was originally pulled over for malfunctioning break lights. When officers questioned her she appeared nervous and they could smell marijuana in the car. According to reports she told them they might find a pipe.
Barnash was charged on Jan. 8, at 1:39 p.m., with illegal possession of a narcotic substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. She was held on a $500 bond with a Jan. 15 court date.
Burglary
A woman looking after her parents on Hillside Road discovered burglars had entered and rummaged through portions of the house. She reported the break-in on Jan. 8, at 11:23 a.m.
Burglars entered the home through a second floor window and proceeded to go through drawers. The woman watching the home first noticed that items were out of place.
While the house has an alarm and it was armed, police said the second floor lacked sensors.
It is unknown if any items were taken. Damage to the second floor window is estimated at $300.
Fraudulent tickets
A Fairfield man reported to police on Jan. 8, at 11:23 a.m., that concert tickets he purchased and then resold were fraudulent. He claims he originally bought them through Ticketmaster.
The tickets were purchased for Z100’s annual Jingle Ball at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 7. The Fairfield resident purchased two tickets through Ticketmaster for $778. When he realized he could not make it to the show he resold them through StubHub.com for $968.
When the purchaser of the tickets arrived at Madison Square Garden, he was turned away and told the tickets were not real. StubHub is conducting its own investigation.
Attempted burglary
Fairfield police are investigating an attempted burglary at the AT&T store on Black Rock Turnpike. Two men reportedly tried to break through the glass doors at 4:38 a.m., Jan. 9, but were unable to gain entry to the store.
Surveillance video showed two men carrying pink garbage bags outside the business. One, wearing jeans and a white bandana, used a rock to try to break the glass and then tried to kick in the door. A second male in dark clothes stood nearby.
They were unable to gain entry and the store’s alarm system alerted police. Video shows the two leaving and walking north bound toward Duchess.
Fake robbery caller caught
Fairfield police arrested a man accused of placing a fake 911 call claiming he was being robbed on Jan. 10. James Kosch, 27, of Linwood Avenuewas located and arrested at Sunnyside Inn in Bridgeport.
Police responded to a call at 9:29 a.m., Jan. 10, from an anonymous individual speaking in a low voice claiming he was being robbed at Harry’s Wine and Liquor Market on Post Road. When police arrived, they determined there was no incident inside the business.
The call was later investigated by the detective division, which was able to trace the origin to a Linwood Avenue home. A search warrant was obtained and executed around 2:30 p.m. Police believed Kosch may have been barricaded inside. After gaining entry, they determined he was not there.
By 9 p.m., Kosch had been tracked to the Sunnyside Inn. Officers confronted him after he was seen leaving a second floor room. Kosch was taken into custody without incident.
Police also recovered a cellphone believed to have been used to make the false report. Police said the call created an emergency situation.
Kosch was charged with falsely reporting an incident in the first degree and was given a $5,000 bond and court date of Jan. 22. However, Kosch was also held on 10 outstanding warrants for shoplifting incidents, traffic stops and failures to appear.
Violation of conditions of release
Thomas Curran, 54, of Main Street, Turmbull, was arrested by Fairfield police on Jan. 10, at 4:30 p.m., on a warrant for violating conditions of release. Curran was held on a $15,000 bond for a Jan. 22 court date.
Curran has six active protective orders in effect from family members, including the owners of Curran Volkswagen in Stratford. He is described as estranged and not involved in the family business.
A harassment complaint was filed on Dec. 22, 2012 over emails. Curran was ordered to have no more contact with the complaining party. Police report that emails continued.
On Jan. 8, Curran was told to turn himself in for violation of the protective order. He was traced to his last known address in Trumbull. Police found a white Chevrolet truck registered to Curran at the residence. It was missing a license plate. Neighbors told officers Curran sometimes drives a black Ford and changes the plates.
Curran was eventually located and charged with violating conditions of release.
Thefts
A Mill Plain Road resident reported on Jan. 10, at 2:29 p.m., to Fairfield police that a 21” Toro snow blower was stolen from his garage. He suspects the item was taken sometime in the previous two days.
The snow blower has an estimated value of $300. The garage might have been left open.
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The manager of a Post Road Subway in Fairfield reported to police that an employee was stealing money. Surveillance video showed the employee was canceling orders, re-ringing them as cheaper items and pocketing the difference.
The employee is suspected of taking $372 in November, $487 in December and $104 in January.
The incident is under investigation. The manager said he had no phone number or address for the employee.
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A Tunxis Hill Road resident reported to Fairfield police on Jan. 10, at 4:47 p.m., that a $500 exercise bike was stolen from a storage locker. Items were placed in the locker during an eveiction process.
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A man who attempted to sell his bicycle watched the thief drive away with his property on Jan. 10. This was after the victim helped push the thief’s car to get it started.
The victim reported to police at 5:54 p.m. that minutes earlier he met a white Hispanic male going by the name Jose to sell a BMX bicycle. Jose said he had to go to the bank to get the $300 they agreed to through a Facebook group. The two loaded the bike into Jose’s red Volkswagon Golf.
Then the victim was told the car needed a push to get started. Once the car got going, it kept moving. The victim watched it go over a bridge and out of sight.
The stolen black BMX bike is estimated at $500.
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Several vehicles were broken into in the morning hours of Jan. 11. A suspect may have been spotted.
A Northwood Road resident out for her morning walk spotted a man wearing all black and a hooded sweatshirt at 5:15 a.m. When she returned home she found the glove box of her car had been rifled through, though nothing was taken.
A Southwood Road resident reported his glove box was gone through at 5:45 a.m.
An EZPass worth $100 was taken from another car on Northwood Road, reported at 7:47 a.m. She noted her dog woke her up barking at 3:15 a.m.
An Eastwood Road resident reported at 7:59 a.m. That his car had also been entered, and nothing was taken.
On Benedict Avenue, a resident reported that a passenger window was broken and $5,800 worth of computer equipment was taken.
An iPod worth $300 and a backpack were taken from a car on Park Avenue, reported at 8:11 a.m. The window was smashed in.
Instagram harassment
A parent reported to Fairfield police that someone had created or accessed an Instagram account and posted inappropriate content.
Reportedly, the daughter was approached by people at school questioning posts made to Instagram. The account has since been flagged and police are investigating.
Uncompleted work
Felix Santiago, 33, of William Street, Bridgeport, was released on a bond for the same amount he allegedly he agreed to for work on a Fairfield condominium. He was paid $2,600 to work on a unit in 2008, but never completed the job.
Santiago charged the money for materials and labor, but owners told Fairfield police that years later, the work still has not been completed.
Santiago was arrested on Jan. 12, at 4:40 p.m. His bond, $2,600, matched his bill. He is expected in court on Jan. 30.
Burglary charges
Jack Socci, 21, of Michael Street, Norwalk, was arrested at court on Jan. 11, at 10:45 a.m., on charges from 2009. He was accused of stealing items from a Vermont Avenue home in Fairfield.
Homeowners told Fairfield police they returned home one evening in 2009 to find the rear door unlocked and the home ransacked. They saw a white male in a blue jacket fleeing the scene.
Socci is accused of stealing a flat screen television, DVD player and jewelry. He was charged with third-degree burglary and third-degree larceny. Bond was set at $10,000 for a Jan. 11 court appearance.
Stole from grandmother
Annie Turoczi, 22, of Montgomery Street, Bridgeport, paid a visit to her grandmother at the Ludlowe Center for Health and Rehabilitation in Fairfield. According to police, she left with a gold chain and a pending larceny charge.
Staff reported that Turoczi came to visit her grandmother on Jan. 12. While there she asked to see a watch. Turoczi allegedly removed a gold chain from her grandmother’s wrist and said she needed to have a look at it in another room. She never returned with the 24K gold wrist band.
Turoczi was located by police at her Montgomery Street address. The bracelet was recovered at a Bridgeport pawn shop.
Turoczi was charged with fifth-degree larceny. She was released on a promise to appear in court on Jan. 22.
Hit utility pole
Jennifer Rose, 22, of Clarion Place, Trumbull, was handed over by Fairfield police to her boyfriend on Jan. 13, after hitting a utility pole while allegedly driving under the influence. Rose was released on a $100 bond.
According to witnesses and reports, Rose drive ino a utility pole and attempted to leave the scene. However, the car suffered too much damage to its front end and did not make it far. When police arrived, she was standing on the sidewalk, allegedly staggering and with a smell of alcohol on her breath.
Rose claimed she was not injured and refused medical treatment. She failed a field sobriety test. At the Fairfield Police Department, a chemical analysis said her blood alcohol content was four times the legal limit.
Rose was charged with failure to drive right, no insurance, driving under suspension and driving under the influence. She is expected in court on Jan. 22.
Left scene
Mohamed Moussa, 23, of Pierce Street, claimed he checked his father’s van for damage following an accident on King’s Highway East and went home after he determined there was none. That he did not stick around to check on the condition of the other car and driver are only one of the problems Fairfield police had with Moussa.
According to police reports, Moussa ran through a red light while crossing Kings Highway East, causing another car with the right of way to run into the back bumper of the van he was driving. Witnesses told police he continued through the intersection and left. They also gave police a plate number.
Police located the van and noted marks on the bumper consistent with damage to the other vehicle. They interviewed Moussa who said he was driving his father’s van and after the accident checked and saw no damage.
Moussa was arrested on Jan. 12, at 10:56 p.m., and charged with reckless driving, evading responsibility, running a red light and talking on his cell phone while driving. He was given a $500 bond and a Jan. 22 court date.
Dined and ditched
Fairfield police are investigating a couple who dined and dashed at Southport Brewing Company just after midnight on Jan. 12. The car they were driving has plates registered in Maine.
The couple reportedly left the restaurant without paying their $46 bill. The manager ran out and confronted them in the parking lot where they refused to roll down the window and talk to him. The two then put the car in reverse and left the lot.
They are described as a white male and female driving a black Chrysler. The plates belong to a black Mercedes in Maine.
Pedestrian struck by car
A pedestrian was released from St. Vincent’s Medical Center with a minor ankle injury after he was struck by a car on Kings Highway East on Jan. 12. Fairfield police arrested Michael Michalski, 48, of Greenfield Street for the the hit and run.
The victim claimed he heard the car accelerate as he was crossing the median on Kinds Highway East. A vehicle hit him and pushed him back onto the median with minor injuries.
One witness followed the car, owned by Michalski, to the Greenfield Street address. When police questioned Michalski he admitted to drinking, but had no recollection of hitting anyone.
Michalski was charged with driving under the influence and evading responsibility. He was given a $500 bond and a Jan. 22 court date.
Stolen motorcycle
When a Fairfield man could no longer hear the engine on the motorcycle he was trying to sell to a potential buyer out on a test drive, he realized it was time to call the police. The bike was later recovered in Bridgeport.
The victim was attempting to sell the motorcycle through Craigslist.org. He received a text from someone identifying himself as Chris offering to buy the bike. They agreed to meet at the owner’s condo on Sunday, Jan. 13.
The thief, described as a 6-foot tall black male about 18 years old, asked to take the bike for a test ride. The owner agreed. When he could no longer here the motor, he knew the buyer was not coming back. The motorcycle was found undamaged and abandoned on Summer Street in Bridgeport. Police said others have been stolen in a similar manner.
The issue is under investigation.
Shoplifters sought
Area police are looking for a white male and female believed to have been involved in shoplifting incidents at various stores in the region. On Jan. 13, at 4:39 p.m., they are believed to have stolen $500 in merchandise from Bed, Bath and Beyond in Fairfield.
The make is described as 6’2” and bald. The female is 5’3” with dirty blonde hair. They have been seen driving a gray Nissan with plates belonging to a Honda.
