Fairfield County, Stamford | featured news

STAMFORD — Yankees general manager and Darien resident Brian Cashman will rappel from Landmark Tower for the eighth straight year Sunday for the city’s annual Heights and Lights holiday celebration.

Dressed as an elf, Cashman will descend 22 stories from the top of the city’s second tallest building at 5 p.m.

After the rappel, the cast of Aladdin Jr. from Saxe Middle School will perform at the lighting of Latham Park’s new 22-foot Norway spruce.

This is the 21st annual celebration of Heights and Lights hosted by the city and Downtown Special Services District.

STAMFORD-An accident involving three school buses has closed down Vine Road just after 8 a.m. Monday.

Police radio dispatches from the scene do not mention any children being aboard the buses that were in the accident involving a car at Kerr and Vine Roads.

Police have closed Vine Road, an important east-west artery, and are leading motorists on detours of the area.

The accident involved three school buses and a car. Two of the buses are having to be towed from the scene police say.

jnickerson@stamfordadvocate.com

STAMFORD — Two city men have been identified as the occupants involved in a fatal single-car accident near Scalzi Park this week. Stamford Police Sgt. Andrew Gallagher said Donte Smith, a 19-year-old passenger, was killed after the silver BMW 525i crashed into a tree on Washington Boulevard Wednesday afternoon. Smith was taken to Stamford Hospital where he died of his injuries. The driver, Kadeem Mitchell, 20, was seriously injured in the crash and remains at Samford Hospital where he was last listed Friday in critical condition.

STAMFORD — Thanksgiving celebrations turned ugly Thursday night when a fight broke out between neighbors in an apartment complex in the 100 block of Henry Street.

Stamford Police Sgt. Robert Shawinsky said officers responded to the complex about 11:30 p.m after receiving a report of a fight involving four people.

“When the officers arrived, they observed blood all over (one) apartment and a broken knife handle on the floor,” Shawinsky said.

STAMFORD -- Police arrested a local 16-year-old male last week after fingerprint evidence allegedly tied him to a string of attempted burglaries in the Dolphin Cove area.

Stamford Police Sgt. Sean Scanlan said the suspect broke into one home and attempted to break into four more within a 10-hour period in July.

STAMFORD - City police are looking for a man who allegedly fled on foot from a vehicle Tuesday morning during a traffic stop.

Stamford Police Sgt. Robert Shawinsky said officers stopped a vehicle at about 10 a.m. in the 700 block of Atlantic Street near Lipton Place.

When the officers opened the vehicle’s passenger-side door to speak with one of the passengers, Shawinsky said the suspect “jumped out of the vehicle” and fled toward Lipton Place.

STAMFORD — A 19-year-old Stamford resident was killed, and another person was seriously injured, when a silver BMW crashed into a tree Wednesday afternoon on Washington Boulevard near Scalzi Park.

Stamford Police Sgt. Andrew Gallagher said the 19-year-old was a passenger in the vehicle when the crash occurred. The other injured party was the driver, he said, who was taken to Stamford Hospital and remains in critical condition.

The identities of both parties are being withheld, Gallagher said, while officers investigate the crash and notify next of kin.

STAMFORD — Police arrested a Norwalk man Tuesday night after more than four pounds of marijuana was allegedly found in his vehicle during a traffic stop.

Stamford Police Capt. Richard Conklin said officers observed a vehicle driving at about 10:30 p.m. on Long Ridge Road and noticed the vehicle had no front license plate.

“That piqued their interest,” Conklin said.

The officers pulled up behind the vehicle and ran the rear license plate number, which Conklin said showed the vehicle was unregistered.

STAMFORD — Maintenance workers got a bit of a surprise Monday afternoon while they were replacing a water heater in the basement at 9 Woodland Avenue.

Stamford Police Captain Richard Conklin said when the workers removed the old water heater, they found a .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol concealed behind the machine.

“Someone had rigged a coat hanger to make a sort of hook and hang the gun behind the water heater,” Conklin said.

“The gun was fully loaded, with nine bullets in the clip and one in the chamber and the weapon’s safety was off,” he said.

STAMFORD - A Hartford woman was arrested Monday night on a year-old warrant charging her with forgery and larceny.

Stamford Police Sgt. Steve Perrotta said Stacy Merrick, 34, was wanted for using two fake $100 bills when making a purchase at Talbots in the Stamford Town Center mall on Nov. 14, 2016.

After Merrick made the purchase, Perrotta said the store employee realized the bills were fake and police were notified.