Danbury, Fairfield County | featured news

Police said an off-duty officer on Sept.

The Ridgefield college student who was flying a small plane that crashed Sunday in upstate New York, killing her and a classmate, should not have been carrying a passenger, according to federal aviation rules.

Colgate University students Cathryn “Carey” Depuy and Ryan Adams, both 18-year-old freshmen from Ridgefield, were killed when the rented single-engine Cessna 150 crashed Sunday a few miles from the school.

National Transportation Safety Board investigator Tim Monville said Tuesday he had no information about a distress call and the only contact he had confirmed with the ground was

DANBURY — A crash between a car and a tractor trailer has been cleared after it slowed traffic on Interstate 84 early Tuesday afternoon.

The accident happened on eastbound I-84, near exit 7, about 1 p.m.

Three people suffered minor injuries, according to scanner reports.

Sgt. Steven Santucci, a longtime Newtown police sergeant who resigned after his arrest in the spring, is accused of manufacturing and distributing steroids to bodybuilders in local gyms, federal authorities said.

A federal grand jury this year indicted Santucci and 10 alleged accomplices, including a former Newtown civilian dispatcher, with conspiracy to distribute anabolic steroids.

DANBURY — A West Street man was arrested Friday after an investigation revealed he sexually abused a 14-year-old girl, police said.

After a five-month probe, the Danbury Police Department’s Special Victims Unit was issued an arrest warrant last week for 66-year-old Romulo Medina.

The man was taken into custody without incident and charged with first-degree sexual assault and two counts of risk of injury to a minor.

Police did not release details on the alleged abuse.

Medina was held on a $60,000 bond.

The man arrived at Rite Aid Pharmacy, 125 Danbury Road, about 8 p.m. on Sept. 12 and hid in the back of the store until all employees left, police said.

Police said he was wearing orange cargo shorts, an olive green t-shirt and tan construction boots.

BROOKFIELD — A father and mother were arrested Tuesday after police said they were driving around with no license, registration or insurance while their two children were in the trunk.

Frederick Horton, 42, was charged with two counts of risk of injury to a minor, driving with a suspended license, driving an unregistered motor vehicle, and failure to insure a motor vehicle.

Jesse Belansky, 33, of Garella Road, Bethel, was first seen at a Mobil gas station near exit 8 of Interstate 84 in Danbury, State Police said.

State Police did not chase Belansky, but a different trooper saw the motorcycle make an illegal turn and drive on the wrong way on Route 7, according to the report.

RIDGEFIELD — Starting this Friday, the state Department of Transportation will begin replacing the Route 35 bridge near the south entrance of Fox Hill Condominiums.

After the initial phase is done, traffic will flow in both directions at all times throughout the remainder of the project, according to police.

The Danbury and Newtown police departments will accept unwanted prescription drugs as part of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s annual effort to safely dispose of prescription medications.

The collections will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, at the Newtown Police Department, 3 Main St., and Danbury Police Department, 375 Main St.

Last September, 309 tons of prescription drugs were turned in at nearly 5,500 sites across the country.

The DEA does not accept liquids, needles or sharps — only pills or patches. The service is free and anonymous.