Monroe Police: Driver struck fire hydrant, mailbox overturned and fell

MONROE, CT – An 89-year-old Newtown man told officers he was drowsy and fell asleep before he was involved in a rollover crash with his 2023 Toyota RAV4 in the 25 block of Route 59 Friday morning.

According to police, Monroe Volunteer Emergency Medical Services personnel took him to St. Vincent’s Medical Center for treatment of his injuries.

At approximately 10:29 a.m., police were called to the single-vehicle accident.

According to police, the man was traveling east on Route 59 toward Main Street when his Toyota left the roadway and hit a fire hydrant, drove across another person’s front yard, struck the side of a mailbox and struck a tree stump, causing The vehicle overturned before coming to rest on a retaining wall.

The Toyota was towed due to obstruction damage.

Firefighters also responded to the incident.

Bus accidents

Police responded to two minor school bus accidents just minutes apart Friday afternoon.

According to the report, someone called police around 12:37 p.m. after a 66-year-old Gay Bower Road woman was backing out of her driveway in her 2015 Nissan Rogue and crashed into the back of a school bus.

Police said the woman did not realize the bus was driving behind her with its lights on. There were children on the bus, but according to police there were no injuries. The driver was given a verbal warning for improper reversing.

Officers were then called to a second accident just after 1 p.m

A 43-year-old Norwalk woman traveling south on Monroe Turnpike in her black 2021 Toyota Highlander told officers she was looking down to change her music and didn’t notice the one in front of her a school bus stopped with flashing lights.

Police said she was unable to stop in time and crashed into the rear bumper of the bus, just south of Jeanette Street.

There were students on the bus, but police said there were no injuries.

The driver of the Toyota was given a misdemeanor for following too closely.

Rollover crash

A 17-year-old Trumbull man was taken to Bridgeport Hospital for medical treatment after he crashed a gray 2016 Mazda CX5 into a tree on Josie’s Ring Road near Grindstone Lane Friday night.

At about 7:26 p.m., police said the teen was traveling northeast on Josie’s Ring and attempting to negotiate a curve on Grindstone Lane when the vehicle went off the left side of the road and struck a tree.

The Mazda sustained heavy front end damage and the airbags deployed, police said.

Monroe EMS evaluated the driver and his passenger, another 17-year-old Trumbull male, before transporting the driver to the hospital.

Charges were brought against the driver because he failed to keep to the right on a curve and violated a passenger ban.

Stolen energy drinks

A shoplifter stole $218 worth of energy drinks from the Rite Aid pharmacy at 435 Main St. Saturday afternoon.

At approximately 2:05 p.m., officers were called to the store regarding a shoplifting in progress. The manager said a black woman who appeared to be in her 30s and was wearing black pants, a white shirt and a black hat stole cases of Red Bull and Monster energy drinks before driving off in a black hatchback and was traveling south on Route 25.

Officers observed her driving south erratically but were unable to catch up with the vehicle, police said. Monroe police notified the Trumbull Police Department and Troop G to be on the lookout for the vehicle.

The matter was referred to the Monroe Criminal Investigation Department.

Distracted driving

A 26-year-old Bridgeport man reportedly looked at his cell phone while driving his black 2013 Toyota RAV4 north on Flint Ridge Road Saturday evening and did not see a black 2021 Chevy Blazer parked on the side of the road in front of him .

According to police, he crashed into the rear of the unoccupied, parked vehicle south of West Maiden Lane.

No injuries were reported and the driver was issued a misdemeanor for improper use of his phone while driving. His vehicle was badly damaged and had to be towed away.

The owner of the Chevy Blazer was cited for improper parking.

The accident occurred around 8:32 p.m

Crashing leads to drunk driving

A 23-year-old Stamford man has been charged with drunken driving after he crashed his 1996 BMW 328i on Oct. 6.

At about 10:29 p.m., police said he was driving in the 1300 block of Monroe Turnpike when his vehicle left the road and traveled through a lawn before colliding with several objects in the rollover.

The man was sitting in the driver’s seat of the vehicle with the engine running when police arrived and told officers he hit a wet spot on the road before losing control of his BMW, the report said.

Police said officers determined the road was dry.

The Stamford man had superficial injuries and was treated by emergency medical services at the scene, police said.

While officers were talking to him, they smelled the odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath, according to police, who said he slurred his speech, mumbled and admitted to drinking alcohol.

He allegedly refused to participate in field sobriety tests, which led to his arrest. He was charged with driving under the influence and failure to follow the correct lane. He was released the next day on $500 bail for an Oct. 22 court date.

All respectful comments with the commenter’s first and last name are welcome.