March 2013 – Page 26 – DoingItLocal

Bridgeport Police Blotter 3-1-2013

K-9 Convinces Suspect to Lie Down
(Bridgeport, CT – Feb. 28, 2013) – A 19-year-old thought better of bailing from a stolen vehicle when confronted by K-9 Trace and his partner Mark Martocchio. On Tuesday, Martocchio was on patrol when he spotted a 2013 Nissan Rogue that was listed on the daily stolen car sheet. The vehicle pulled into a gas station at Park and Wood avenues and the driver exited and walked toward the gas pump. He returned to the sport utility vehicle after seeing police. He tried to drive off but Martocchio blocked him in and exited the squad car with his K-9 Trace. The driver, Phillip Silas, 19, of Kelsey Street, started to bail out of the car but stopped when he heard the dog barking. The officer gave a verbal command to get on the ground or the dog will be released. “Silas looked over his shoulder and decided to lie down on the ground as requested,” Martocchio said.
There were no injuries, the stolen car was recovered and Silas was charged with first-degree larceny. His bond was set at $20,000.

Police Find Assault Suspect, Knife in Garage
A 32-year-old man was charged Thursday with assaulting a woman who had rebuffed his romantic advances. At 2:17 a.m., Officer Daniel Paz was sent to a gas station in the 1300 block of Noble Avenue for an assault victim. He found a 23-year-old female victim with cuts to her hands. She told Paz and Officer Michael Divila that she was watching television with a friend in her room when the assailant kicked in the door and attacked them with a knife. All three work together and live in the same multi-family house.As police and medics tended to the woman, who had defensive wounds to her hands, Officers Ean Smith and Roberto Quintanilla and Sgt. Robert Magnuson went to the location of the assault at 1251 Noble St. They found the male victim, 31, who gave the same account as the female victim. After some searching, the officers found the suspect, Pedro Ciriaco-Cantu, 32, hiding in a rear garage. He was placed under arrest and then showed police where he hid the knife. The suspect was charged with two counts of second-degree assault, possession of a dangerous weapon and disorderly conduct. The female victim declined transport to the hospital. The male victim was taken to Bridgeport Hospital.

Bridgeport Fire Engine Donated To Haiti

(Bridgeport, CT – March, 2013) – A 1982 Mack fire engine went on its final call for service in Bridgeport – to bring hope to an island nation 1,500 miles away. The decommissioned pumper left Bridgeport Friday for Massachusetts, where it will be loaded onto a military transport plane and begin its journey to Haiti. “I’d like to thank the Bridgeport Fire Department, which for many, many years took tender loving care of this Mack fire engine. This has many years of life saving left in it,” said Mayor Bill Finch at the send-off ceremony. “The City of Bridgeport is so proud to be able to take its still serviceable fire apparatus and give it to countries that need the help, like Haiti.”

The truck is being driven to Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee, Mass., where it will be loaded onto a military transport plane. It ultimately will arrive in Port-au-Prince and be driven to the city of Petion-Ville, a city of 280,000. To make it happen, the city partnered with Haiti-works Inc., a local non-profit dedicated to relief efforts and rebuilding in Haiti after the 7.0 earthquake.

“Today is such a great day for all Haitians,” said Pierre d’Haiti from Haiti-works, Inc . “This is what it is all about. This is not just a red machine going to Haiti. It is hope that we are bringing to the island of Haiti.” Councilwoman Michelle Lyons, who spent a decade doing missionary work in Haiti, was instrumental in making the donation a reality. She also worked with Congressman Jim Himes to bring a resolution to Congress urging municipalities around the country to donate decommissioned equipment to Haiti. “This is an exciting moment,” she said at the send-off.

Deputy Fire Chief Robert Petrucelli said the engine had been used as a spare until last year, when it was taken out of service completely. Usually, the fire department goes through an auction process to dispose of unneeded equipment but City Council passed an ordinance allowing the department to donate equipment to countries in need. The City has previously donated fire trucks to the Dominican Republic.

Man With Gun Arrested In Road Rage Incident

(Westport, CT) Thursday, February 28, 2013, at approximately 5:02pm, Westport Police Dispatch received a 911 call of a road rage incident involving a firearm. The caller reported he was traveling east on Post Road East approaching the Bulkley Avenue intersection when a white male jumped out of his vehicle and pointed a black hand gun at him. The caller was able to obtain the license plate of the vehicle which was registered in Trumbull. The operator and vehicle description were given to Fairfield Police as this was their direction of travel. Fairfield Police located the suspect vehicle on Pemburn Drive in their town and waited for Westport officers to arrive and investigate the incident. A black Glock 9mm semi automatic hand gun was located on the waist of the suspect, 21 year old Tyler C. Keiser. The gun was safely taken from Keiser without incident.

It was reported that Keiser cut off the victim who then flashed his high beams at Keiser. Reportedly, Keiser then exited his vehicle and brandished the firearm.

Keiser was charged with Threatening 2^nd degree 53a- 62, Reckless Endangerment 2nd Degree 53a-64 and Breach of Peace 2^nd degree 53a-181 of the Connecticut General Statutes. Keiser was released on a $2500 bond and is scheduled to appear in the Norwalk Court on 03/08/13. The handgun was seized as evidence. The investigation revealed that the firearm is registered to Keiser and that Keiser has a carry permit for the weapon.