Category: Local News

2:52am—#Bridgeport Ct–#cttraffuc–A slow speed chase of about 19mph ends at I-95 southbound at the exit 25 off ramp speed of about 19mph when suspect crashes on off ramp barrier.

7:47pm–#Fairfield CT–Firefighters on the way to Pepe’s Pizza on Commerce Drive for two dog in distress inside a blue Volvo.

(Bridgeport, CT – July 19, 2013) – Officers Paul Scillia and Christopher Martin Thursday seized another quad operating illegally in the city.

The officers encountered the four-wheeler traveling recklessly on Wood Avenue. The driver, identified later as Joel Huertas, 22, was doing a “wheelie” and crossed over the center yellow line. He nearly lost control and almost hit a telephone pole.

Scillia and Martin ordered him off of the quad and arrested him for reckless driving, operating without a license, operating without insurance and operating an unregistered vehicle. The quad was towed.

The two officers seized two other quads last week and charged two people with felony counts.

In that case, Scillia and Martin, who work for the department’s Violent Crimes Initiative unit, observed two quads leave the driveway of 288 Benham Ave. The officers put out a radio broadcast alerting other officers that two quads were driving recklessly. A short time later, other officers reported over the radio that they encountered the same quads on Washington Avenue.

On a hunch, Scillia and Martin went to Benham Avenue on the chance the drivers would attempt to return home.

The quad operators did and pulled into the driveway at a high rate of speed and almost crashed into a pool in which two children were swimming.

Both suspects attempted to run. Jason Rivera, 32, of 288 Benham Ave., was arrested and charged with motor vehicle offenses and counts of risk of injury to a minor and interfering with police.

The second suspect, Juan Rivera, 26, of the same address,  jumped into the pool and began pulling out from his pockets and discarding small glass jars containing marijuana. He faces the same charges as the other operator and also marijuana counts.

When asked why he jumped into the pool, Juan Rivera stated that he knew he was going to jail and wanted to take a swim first.

11:38am–#Fairfield CT–A box truck is stuck under the train overpass at North Benson Road, again.

(Bridgeport, CT – July 18, 2013) – A 52-year-old man faces robbery and assault charges after asking a 90-year-old Milford man for a ride and then robbing him.

Officer Everton Walker, a Bridgeport officer assigned to the Statewide Urban Violence Task Force, was in an unmarked car Wednesday when he pulled up on car stopped in the middle of the street on Bruce Boulevard near Radel Street, an isolated area near St. Michael’s Cemetery.

He observed two people inside. When he pulled alongside, the driver rolled down his window and shouted for help.

Walker observed a struggle between two males, with the passenger, later identified as Delonce Henton, of Nob Hill Circle, clutching the victim’s hand trying to remove a ring. Henton managed to rip off the ring. Walker also saw him holding a broken gold chain.

Walker identified himself as a police officer and ordered Henton not to move, but Henton jumped out of the car and attempted to flee. Walker took him into custody after a brief struggle and called for backup.

The victim stated that he met the suspect while shopping at a store on Connecticut Avenue and that Henton asked for a ride to the hospital on the pretence of visiting his sick wife. Instead Henton directed him to the isolated area near the cemetery and robbed him.

Henton faces charges of second-degree robbery, assault on an elderly person and interfering with police. His bond was set at $50,000.

During the struggle, Henton dropped the ring, and the victim pleaded for help finding it because it had sentimental value. After a brief search through vegetation along the road, officers found and returned the ring to the victim.

Henton is being investigated as a suspect in several similar robberies in the city.

 

11:55pm–#Bridgeport CT–Report of a car accident at 425 East Main Street (near Cedar Street).

(Bridgeport, CT – July 15, 2013) – Police seized three firearms and arrested three men Sunday on gun charges in the area of Park Avenue.

• At 2 p.m., Sgt. Jason Amato and Officer Everton Walker, both members of the state Gang Unit, were stationed at the entrance to Seaside Park when Amato observed a groups from two rival neighborhoods leaving the park. Amato and Detective Christopher Borona and members of the Emergency Services Unit began following them. On Park Avenue between University Avenue and Atlantic Street, police observed a male, later identified as Cesar Christobal, 20, of Bridgeport, start yelling at a group of people who just passed him. When Christobal lifted his shirt, officers observed what appeared to be a firearm in his waistband. Amato and Borona intervened as Christobal continued to make threats. Police seized a .38-caliber handgun and charged Christobal with carrying a pistol without a permit, obliterating a serial number from a firearm and breach of peace,. Bond was set at $50,000.
• At 3:20 p.m., Officers Ilidio Pereira and John Pachera heard multiple gunshots in the area of Park and Railroad avenues. A crowd started running away from the area of the gunfire but a male, identified as Davon Eldemire, 20, of Bridgeport, was seen running alone and holding the right side of his shorts, and into a nearby restaurant. Prior to police entering the restaurant, numerous people alerted police that a man had entered the restaurant and that he may be armed. Eldemire tried to walk past officers even before they spoke to him. He attempted to walk past when Pereira saw a grip from a handgun protruding from his pocket. He was arrested and charged with criminal possession of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a permit, unlawful discharge of a firearm, reckless endangerment and risk of injury to a minor. His bond was set at $100,000. Based on officers’ observations, the handgun appeared to have been recently fired.

·         Shortly after 3:20 p.m, Lt. John Cummings received reports of gunshots and a person shot and numerous people pointed to the area of Building 40 in Marina Village where Cummings, Detectives James Borrico and Edward Martocchio approached Dominique Jones, 20, of Bridgeport,  sitting on a folding chair next to a charcoal grill. He appeared nervous and was sweating and told officers that the people who were shooting had just run past. When Cummings went to lift the lid of the grill,  Jones stated that the gun, that Cummings discovered, didn’t belong to him. On the grill, police recovered a .38 special with five spent shells. The weapon appeared to have been recently fired. The weapon was reported stolen out of North Carolina. Jones faces charges of carrying a pistol without a permit, theft of a firearm and unlawful discharge.

#Fairfield CT–A bicycle was taken from the Metro Center Train Station tonight.  Another bicycle was stolen from there Friday night.

BRIDGEPORT, CT (July 15, 2013) – Mayor Bill Finch and Greater Bridgeport Transit officials have announced that the Greater Bridgeport Transit Main Bus Terminal at 710 Water St., will be open as a cooling station from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., through Friday, July 19.

Mayor Finch urged residents to take precautions during this period of high heat and humidity by staying hydrated and staying indoors in air conditioned environments as much as possible. “The cooling station at the bus station, our senior centers and libraries are available, air conditioned and accessible to all residents offering relief from these very high temperatures.  I urge all those who do not have access to air conditioning to please take advantage of these cooling stations.”

 

The Cooling Station is open in conjunction with the Bridgeport Emergency Operations Center, American Red Cross and Greater Bridgeport Transit.

 

In addition to the Cooling Station set up at the GBT bus terminal, residents can also cool off inside one of the Bridgeport Public Library Branches.

 

Bridgeport Public Library locations and hours:

• Burroughs-Saden Main Branch
  925 Broad Street

Mon. 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Tue. 10 a.m. –  8 p.m.; Wed. 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. ; Thurs. 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Fri. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.;  Saturday 10 a.m. -5 p.m.

 

• Black Rock Library
  2705 Fairfield Ave.

Mon. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Tue. 12 – 8 p.m.; Wed. 10 a.m – 5 p.m.; Thurs. 12 –  8 p.m.; Fri. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Sat. 1 – 5 p.m.

 

• Newfield Library
  1230 Stratford Ave.

Mon.  1 – 5 p.m.; Tue. 10 a.m. –  6 p.m.;  Wed. 12 – 8 p.m.; Thurs. 10 a.m. –  6 p.m.;  Fri. 1 – 5 p.m.;  Sat. 1 – 5 p.m.

 

• North End
  3455 Madison Ave.

Mon. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.;  Tue. 12 – 8 p.m.; Wed. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Thurs. 12 – 8 p.m.; Fri. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Sat. 1– 5 p.m.

 

• Old Mill Green

1677-81 East Main St.

Mon. 1 – 5 p.m.;  Tue. 10 a.m. –  6 p.m.;  Wed. 12 – 8 p.m.; Thurs. 10 a.m. –  6 p.m.; Fri. 1 – 5 p.m.; Sat. 1 – 5 p.m.

 

In addition, city senior citizens can visit the Eisenhower and North End-Bethany Senior Centers which are open 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the East Side Senior Center which is open 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The #Westport Police Department Non-Emergency phone line (203-341-6000) which is down because Verizon has a higher-level outage on their fiber network. It is not an equipment malfunction at the Westport Police Department.