(Westport, CT) On Monday January 6, 2020 at approximately 1:06pm, officers responded to the parking lot of 1137 Post Road East on a report of a stabbing that had occurred at that location. Callers reported that a single male suspect had stabbed a female within the parking lot and had subsequently fled the scene in a vehicle.
Officers and emergency responders located and rendered aid to a female victim that had suffered multiple stab wounds. The victim sustained serious injuries as a result of this incident and was transported to Norwalk Hospital for further treatment. Callers provided a description of the suspect as well as of his vehicle. Patrol units immediately set a perimeter around the area in an attempt to locate the suspect. A Westport officer then observed the suspect’s vehicle traveling southbound on the Sherwood Island Connector a short time after the initial report was received. He came to an immediate stop when signaled and was compliant with officers at the scene.
This motor vehicle stop and subsequent detention of the suspect necessitated a brief closure of the Sherwood Island Connector to vehicular traffic which was detailed in a NIXLE advisory message. The roadway has since been re-opened to all traffic. This suspect is currently in police custody and there is no additional threat to public safety relative to this investigation. Members of the Westport Police Department’s patrol division and detective bureau are actively investigating this incident. Any further relevant details as well as identification of the suspect and criminal charges will be released in a subsequent update to this initial release.
2020-01-06@4:30pm–#Bridgeport CT– Firefighters are on scene of an odor of gas indoors on Beardsley Street. The gas company was requested to the scene. Now you know what all the commotion is about!
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#Westport CT–On Saturday December 21, 2019 at approximately 4:35pm, officers responded to Parker Harding Plaza on a complaint of a multi-vehicle accident that had occurred within the parking lot. Upon arrival it was determined that a vehicle had been traveling the wrong way within the lot. Upon swerving to avoid oncoming traffic, the operator of this vehicle struck a total of three other vehicles that had been parked within the lot. This operator was identified as Fredda Peel. Officer reportedly detected an odor of an alcoholic beverage on Peel’s breath and had her perform a series of field sobriety tests. She reportedly did not perform these tests to standard. Also located in Peel’s possession were several prescription products related to medicinal marijuana.
Based on the officer’s findings at the scene and subsequent investigation, Peel was taken into custody and charged with a violation of 14-227a; Operating Under the Influence of Alcohol/Drugs. Peel did submit to chemical testing which will be sent to the state laboratory for further analysis. Bond for this charge was set at $500.00. Peel was able to post this bond and was released from custody.
Hartford, CT)– Attorney General William Tong joined a California-led coalition of 20 states and D.C. in filing a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court seeking review of the Fifth Circuit’s recent decision in Texas v. U.S. The decision held the individual mandate of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) unconstitutional and called into question whether the remaining provisions of the ACA could still stand, including those that protect and provide coverage to Americans with pre-existing conditions. Because this decision causes uncertainty that may harm the health of millions of Americans, and severely impact doctors, clinics, patients, and the healthcare market, Attorney General Tong and the coalition are petitioning the Supreme Court to take up the case and resolve it before the end of the Court’s current term in June.
In Connecticut alone, 250,000 residents have benefited from the expansion of Medicaid. Thousands of young adults under the age of 26 have health insurance through their parents’ plans. Nearly half a million residents with pre-existing conditions have health coverage as a result of ACA protections.
“Hundreds of thousands of Connecticut residents have access to affordable healthcare as a result of the ACA. No one wants to return to the days where insurers discriminated against patients with so-called pre-existing conditions like diabetes, childhood cancer or pregnancy. No one wants thousands of young people, or hundreds of thousands of Medicaid patients kicked off their plans overnight. The consequences in this case are literally life and death for far too many people in Connecticut. I join my colleagues across the nation in urging the Supreme Court to end this uncertainty and resolve this case before the end of its current term,” said Attorney General Tong.
The lawsuit was originally filed by a Texas-led coalition, and supported by the Trump Administration, which argued that Congress rendered the ACA’s individual mandate unconstitutional when it reduced the penalty to $0. They further argued that the rest of the ACA should be held invalid as a result of that change. The Fifth Circuit held that the individual mandate is unconstitutional, but declined to further rule on the validity of the ACA’s remaining provisions. The court instead sent the case back to the Northern District of Texas to determine which provisions of the 900-page law are still valid.
Today’s filing by Connecticut and its coalition states makes clear that patients, doctors, hospitals, employers, states, pharmaceutical companies and more will be impacted by the looming uncertainty of the Fifth Circuit’s decision. It asks the Supreme Court to review the case this term. It also highlights important advancements in healthcare access made under the ACA, including:
More than 12 million Americans receiving coverage through Medicaid expansion;
Nearly 9 million individuals nationwide receiving tax credits to help afford health insurance coverage through individual marketplaces;
Millions of working families relying on high-quality employer-sponsored insurance plans;
Important protections prohibiting insurers from denying health insurance to the 133 million Americans with pre-existing conditions (like diabetes, cancer, or pregnancy) or from charging individuals higher premiums because of their health status; and
Nearly $1.3 trillion in federal funding being dedicated to keeping Americans healthy and covered, including Medicaid expansion and public health dollars.
Joining Attorney General Tong in today’s filing are the Attorneys General of California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota (by and through its Department of Commerce), Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington, and the District of Columbia, as well as the Governor of Kentucky.
UPDATE: EMS dispatched for a person with smoke inhalation.
2020-01-05@4:30pm–#Ansonia CT– Today’s vehicle fire is on Myrtle Avenue with the fire extending to the house next to the car. Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire.
#Bridgeport CT–It is with great sadness that the Bridgeport Police Department announces the passing of Police Officer Jarah Matthews-Dixon passing suddenly in Stamford this evening. He and his family had deep roots in Bridgeport, and on April 21, 2008 he fulfilled his dream of being a Bridgeport Police Officer. Officer Matthews-Dixon was a decorated 12 year member of the Bridgeport Police Department, receiving the Distinguished Service Medal and the Medal of Merit. His latest assignment was with the Fusion Center Team.
Mayor Ganim stated, “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Officer Matthews-Dixon at this time, along with all of his brothers and sisters of the Bridgeport Police Department.” Chief Perez stated, “that Officer Matthews-Dixon was a great officer, a kind person and he will surely be missed, our department is very saddened at this time.”
The Bridgeport Police Department offers its sincere condolences to the Mathews-Dixon family. Funeral arrangements are forthcoming.
