Alex – Page 8 – DoingItLocal

Two Men Critically Injured in Bridgeport Crash Involving Parked Tractor-Trailer

On December 16, 2025, at approximately 3:39 p.m., Bridgeport Police officers responded to a serious motor vehicle collision at the intersection of North Washington Avenue and Housatonic Avenue.

Upon arrival, officers observed emergency medical personnel from American Medical Response transporting a male passenger to St. Vincent’s Medical Center and a male driver to Bridgeport Hospital.

The scene was secured, and the Bridgeport Police Reconstruction Team was requested and responded to the location. A preliminary investigation determined that a silver four-door sedan, operated by a 32-year-old Bridgeport resident and occupied by a 31-year-old Bridgeport resident passenger, was traveling westbound on North Washington Avenue when it collided with the rear of a tractor-trailer parked in the westbound lane.

The tractor-trailer was occupied by a 61-year-old male New York resident, who was not injured and remained on scene and cooperated with the investigation. The 32-year-old driver and 31-year-old passenger of the sedan were both listed in critical condition.

The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact Officer Rory Anderson at (203) 576-7640 or via email at rory.anderson@bridgeportct.gov.

Robbery Investigation Leads to Norwalk Man’s Arrest in Stamford

NORWALK, CT — A robbery investigation that began on Woodward Avenue last month has resulted in the arrest of a Norwalk man, according to police.

On November 17, 2025, at approximately 9:04 PM, Norwalk Combined Dispatch received a report of an armed subject in the area of 42 Woodward Avenue. The caller reported that a male was outside with a firearm threatening individuals, while a second suspect allegedly stole money from the complainant. Both suspects fled the area before officers arrived.

The Norwalk Police Department Detective Bureau assumed the investigation and, through surveillance video review and other investigative efforts, Detective Imparato identified one of the suspects as Jimmie Springer. An arrest warrant was subsequently obtained through Stamford Superior Court.

On December 18, 2025, members of the Norwalk Police Department’s Special Services Division, assisted by the Detective Bureau and the Stamford Police Department Narcotics and Organized Crime Unit, located Springer in Stamford and took him into custody without incident. Following his arrest, Springer was remanded into the custody of parole.

This investigation remains ongoing.

Arrested: Jimmie Springer, 33
Charges: Robbery in the First Degree, Conspiracy to Commit Robbery in the First Degree, Conspiracy to Commit Larceny in the Fourth Degree
Bond: Remanded by parole
Court Date: December 30, 2025

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Norwalk Police Tip Line at 203-854-3111. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through the Norwalk Police website or by texting “NORWALKPD” to TIP411 (847411).

Exploding Massage Gun causes fire risk

Report of an on fire massage gun on Queens Grant Drive in Fairfield.

According to unconfirmed radio reports, one person in the house was operating a massage gun, which exploded and caught fire.

They also reported that that person was able to stamp out the fire, but firefighters are arriving on scene to verify. 2025-12-17@3:00PM

GOVERNOR LAMONT ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL 40,000 CONNECTICUT RESIDENTS TO HAVE MEDICAL DEBT ERASED

Letters Being Mailed This Week Under Third Round of the Lamont Administration’s Medical Debt Erasure Initiative

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that nearly 40,000 Connecticut residents will receive letters in the mail this week informing them that some or all of their medical debt has been erased under an initiative the Lamont administration launched last year in partnership with the national nonprofit organization Undue Medical Debt to give relief to those who are having difficulties paying medical bills.

This third round of the initiative is eliminating more than $63 million in medical debt. In total, nearly 160,000 Connecticut residents who’ve been struggling with bills have had $198 million in medical debt eliminated since the initiative began in December 2024.

“Medical debt can delay healing due to stress and anxiety about how to pay these bills,” Governor Lamont said. “With this latest round of letters being sent out to Connecticut residents, we will have eliminated $198 million in medical debt over the last year. This makes a real difference in the lives of our families, reducing fear and concerns. My administration continues to work with other medical providers to help additional families, and I urge all of them to step up and be part of the solution to address the cost of healthcare in Connecticut.”

Under the initiative, Undue Medical Debt leverages investments from the state to negotiate with hospitals and other providers on the elimination of large, bundled portfolios of qualifying medical debt owed by Connecticut patients. Those who qualify must have income at or below four times (400%) the federal poverty level or have medical debt that is 5% or more of their income. (The current federal poverty level is an annual income at or below $32,150 for a family of four.) Since these medical debts are acquired in bulk and belong to those least able to pay, they cost a fraction of their face value, often pennies on the dollar.

Connecticut residents who have been identified for debt relief will receive an Undue Medical Debt branded envelope containing a letter from Undue Medical Debt in the mail over the next several days. (To view a sample of what this letter looks like: https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/office-of-the-governor/news/2025/20251211-undue-medical-debt-sample-letter.pdf.)

Because this debt erasure occurs through the purchase of large, qualifying bundled portfolios of debt from participating partners like hospitals and collection agencies, there is no application process for this relief and it cannot be requested.

“I’m grateful to Governor Lamont and Connecticut for their continued leadership in providing medical debt relief to residents across the state,” Allison Sesso, CEO and president of Undue Medical Debt, said. “This third round builds on tremendous progress — nearly 160,000 people helped and $198 million in debts of necessity erased. Medical debt creates both financial strain and emotional burdens that prevent families from seeking the care they need. We’re proud to partner with Connecticut’s community-minded providers who recognize that removing these unpayable debts helps their patients and communities thrive, and we look forward to bringing relief to even more families in the future.”

The first round of the initiative in December 2024 erased approximately $30 million in medical debt for approximately 23,000 people; and the second round in May 2025 erased more than $100 million in medical debt for 100,000 people.

Governor Lamont intends to continue partnering with Undue Medical Debt to enact further rounds of medical debt cancellation. The governor and the Connecticut General Assembly enacted legislation that makes $6.5 million in ARPA funding available for this initiative.

ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG SUES UBER OVER UNFAIR AND DECEPTIVE PRACTICES

Lawsuit Alleges that Uber Used Deceptive Enrollment, Billing and Cancellation Practices in Offering Its Subscription Service, Uber One

(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong announced today that Connecticut and 21 other state and county law enforcement agencies have joined a lawsuit previously filed by the Federal Trade Commission against Uber Technologies, LLC and Uber USA, LLC, the operators of the popular rideshare and delivery company. The lawsuit is pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, and trial is currently scheduled for February 2027.

The lawsuit alleges that Uber used a variety of deceptive and unfair practices in offering and selling Uber One subscription services, which Uber promotes as saving money on rides and deliveries. Among other things, the lawsuit alleges that Uber improperly used negative option marketing tactics when it offered free trial subscriptions – a practice that automatically charges consumers if they do not cancel a free trial. The lawsuit alleges Uber misled consumers about the amounts they could save when subscribing to Uber One and that the companies made it extraordinarily difficult to cancel Uber One once enrolled. The complaint also alleges that Uber charged consumers before their billing date, including users whose free trial has not yet ended.

“Uber roped consumers into its subscription service under the guise of a ‘free’ trial, jumped the gun on charges, and then made it next to impossible to cancel when promised savings never materialized. Connecticut is joining the Federal Trade Commission and states and counties across the country in court to ensure consumers are made whole and Uber is held accountable,” said Attorney General Tong.

The Attorney General’s lawsuit seeks restitution, as well as penalties, costs, and an injunction against Uber for alleged violations of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act and the U.S. Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act.

The state coalition, led by Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown, includes the attorneys general of Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, as well as the District Attorney for Alameda County.

A copy of the complaint can be found here.

Assistant Attorney General Brendan Flynn and Deputy Associate Attorney General Michael Wertheimer, Chief of the Consumer Protection Section, are assisting the Attorney General in this matter.

GOVERNOR LAMONT ANNOUNCES PLANS TO USE EMERGENCY STATE RESPONSE RESERVE FOR HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that in the coming days he will submit a plan to the bipartisan leadership of the Connecticut General Assembly to use funding from the recently created Emergency State Response Reserve to support homelessness prevention and response services throughout Connecticut.

The funds, which are being calculated and are anticipated to amount to at least $5.2 million, will be used by providers in the state that receive funding through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Continuum of Care program. That program is the federal government’s primary homelessness prevention and support services grant program, and it has been put on pause indefinitely nationwide.

“So many families, veterans, older adults, and people with disabilities depend on the federal government’s Continuum of Care program to stay in their homes, and it is essential that these grants continue so that people do not fall into homelessness and create a potentially crisis situation,” Governor Lamont said. “It is a shame that these funds are being withheld by the federal government and I urge HUD to continue this program immediately. In the meantime, Connecticut will do everything we can to stand with our providers and ensure that these essential programs are able to continue.”

Created in November through Special Act 25-1, the Emergency State Response Reserve was established to facilitate Connecticut’s response to millions of dollars in federal cuts toward essential health and human services programs that are being made by President Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans. The Connecticut General Assembly and Governor Lamont set aside $500 million in surplus funding for this purpose, and the enabling statute authorizes the governor to quickly act to offset some of these federal cuts as he determines is necessary while also providing for legislative oversight.

The plan that Governor Lamont will soon submit to legislative leaders for the use of this reserve will also include an allocation to partly offset the loss of enhanced federal tax credits that support the costs of health insurance for tens of thousands of Connecticut residents who receive coverage through Access Health CT.

As required under Special Act 25-1, legislative leaders will have 24 hours upon receipt of the plan to review and – if they choose – disapprove of the expenditures before the funds can be legally transferred.

Norwalk Police Arrest Man After Overnight Standoff Tied to Protective Order Violations

Norwalk Police say patrol officers investigated a domestic dispute on December 13, 2025 at approximately 3:28 p.m. After speaking with the victim, officers were told Jeffrey Vigil was allegedly violating an active no-contact protective order.

Police said the investigation determined Vigil had returned to a residence on Old Saugatuck Road following a previous arrest connected to a December 10 domestic violence incident in which police say Vigil discharged a firearm and shot a dog inside the home. The victim reported that Vigil changed the locks and instructed the victim not to return or contact police. Officers also reported they were unable to account for Vigil’s firearms, which police said he was required to surrender under the protective order.

Officers responded to the residence to attempt contact, but police said Vigil refused to exit the home or communicate. Due to the prior firearm discharge and the belief that multiple firearms remained unaccounted for inside the residence, Norwalk Police Emergency Services Unit (ESU) and Crisis Negotiators were called to the scene.

Police said negotiators made repeated attempts to establish communication and encourage Vigil to surrender peacefully. While negotiations continued, patrol officers applied for and obtained an arrest warrant for Vigil as well as a search warrant for the residence. Despite continued efforts, police said Vigil repeatedly refused to surrender, yelled at officers, and stayed inside the home.

Because of his behavior and the potential presence of firearms, police said ESU used multiple tactics to get Vigil to exit safely. When those efforts failed, ESU members entered the residence. Vigil was located on the second floor and taken into custody at approximately 12:05 a.m. without further incident, according to police.

Following the arrest, officers searched the home under the search warrant and reported locating a large quantity of ammunition.

Police listed Vigil’s charges as:

Warrant charges: Violation of a standing criminal protective order (2 counts), Criminal lockout
On-scene charges: Violation of a standing criminal protective order, Criminal violation of a restraining order, Interfering with an officer

Police said warrant bond was set at $750,000, with an additional $250,000 on-scene bond. Vigil is scheduled to appear in court on December 15, 2025.

Norwalk Police said anyone with information can contact the Norwalk Police Tip Line at 203-854-3111, submit anonymous tips online at norwalkpd.com, or text “NORWALKPD” followed by the message to TIP411 (847411).

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available 24/7 through the Domestic Violence Crisis Center hotline at 203-588-9097, or call 911 in an emergency.

Westport Public Works Shares Winter Plowing Guidelines and Safety Reminders

The Westport Department of Public Works (DPW) has shared important winter weather information as crews prepare to plow and treat town roadways. Officials are urging residents to slow down and use extra caution when driving during snow and ice conditions.

DPW is responsible for maintaining 124 miles of town roads with a limited number of plow drivers, making plowing priorities necessary. Main roads are cleared first, with special attention given to steep hills and challenging intersections, followed by side streets and then dead-end roads. On side streets, plow drivers typically make one pass to keep roads open while focusing on ensuring main roads remain accessible for emergency vehicles.

Residents are reminded not to pass or closely follow snowplows, as plow trucks have large blind spots and cannot stop or maneuver quickly. Passing plows can be dangerous due to limited visibility, blowing snow that can create whiteout conditions, and snow ridges forming between lanes. DPW notes that slower plowing speeds allow drivers to better apply road salt, helping reduce costs and environmental impact.

The department also emphasized the demanding nature of snowplow operations, which require hours of concentration while navigating large vehicles in dark, cold, and hazardous conditions. Residents are asked to remain patient and cautious when encountering plow trucks on the road.

DPW explained that snowplows angle their blades to the right, pushing snow toward the roadside. As a result, snow accumulation at the end of private driveways is unavoidable and remains the homeowner’s responsibility to clear, not the town’s.

The town also prohibits private snowplow contractors from pushing snow from driveways or parking lots onto public roads, as it creates hazards and interferes with municipal plowing. If snow must be pushed into the roadway due to limited space, contractors are required to re-plow the street until it is safe for travel.

Under Town Ordinance Sec. 50-407, businesses are responsible for clearing snow and ice from sidewalks along their properties. DPW also clarified its mailbox damage policy, stating the town will only repair or replace mailboxes struck directly by a plow blade. Damage caused by snow thrown from the roadway or by private plowing contractors is not the town’s responsibility.

Residents with questions are encouraged to contact Westport Public Works at 203-341-1120.

Man Arrested After Domestic Dispute and Shooting Injures Dog in Norwalk

Norwalk Police responded to a reported domestic dispute on Old Saugatuck Road at approximately 6:55 p.m. on December 10, 2025, after receiving reports that a shot had been fired. Upon arrival, officers found a large brown pit bull suffering from a gunshot wound to its shoulder.

Officers immediately rendered aid to the injured dog, applying pressure to the wound and working to stabilize the animal. The dog was transported by police to the VCA Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center, where it was later reported to be in stable condition.

Police determined that Jeffrey Vigil, 52, had been involved in a disturbance with the victim when the dog bit him on the leg. During the incident, Vigil discharged a firearm, striking the dog, before fleeing the scene prior to officers’ arrival.

Norwalk Detectives responded and recovered a 9mm shell casing from the residence. Vigil’s vehicle information was broadcast to surrounding agencies, and he was later located by the Greenwich Police Department, who also recovered a Glock firearm in his possession.

Vigil was transported to Greenwich Hospital for treatment before being processed at Norwalk Police Headquarters. He has been charged with Criminal Possession of a Firearm, Criminal Violation of a Restraining Order, and Disorderly Conduct. His bond was set at $150,000, and he is scheduled to appear in court on December 11, 2025.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Norwalk Police Tip Line at 203-854-3111, submit anonymous tips online at norwalkpd.com, or text “NORWALKPD” followed by the message to TIP411 (847411).

Search Warrant at Norwalk Smoke Shop Leads to Seizure of Illegal Marijuana Products

Norwalk Police say their Special Services Division executed a search and seizure warrant at Smokey Bear Tobacco and Vape, 43 North Main Street, on December 10th as part of an ongoing investigation into smoke shops suspected of selling illegal cannabis products. Under Connecticut law, any product exceeding 0.3% total THC cannot be sold without a state-issued cannabis license, and marijuana sales are restricted to licensed dispensaries.

During the search, investigators found a hidden magnetic compartment near the cash register containing marijuana products. Police seized approximately 1.4 pounds of illegal marijuana edibles, 0.1375 pounds of THC vape product, and 0.54 pounds of marijuana flower. As part of the edibles, officers also located THC-infused seltzers: 89 cans with 25mg THC, 120 cans with 50mg THC, and three cans with 5mg THC. A total of $1,714 in cash was also recovered.

Police took Islam Altahami, 19, into custody on charges related to the sale and possession of the seized marijuana products. Investigators say this is the second violation of Norwalk’s municipal ordinance regulating vape shops at this business. Altahami was additionally wanted on an outstanding arrest warrant.

On-scene charges include Illegal Sale of Marijuana and Possession of More Than 8 Ounces of Marijuana, with additional illegal sale charges attached to the warrant. His total bond was set at $60,000, and he is due in court on December 24, 2025.

Anyone with information can contact the Norwalk Police Tip Line at 203-854-3111, submit anonymous online tips at norwalkpd.com, or text “NORWALKPD” followed by the message to TIP411 (847411).