Crime & Safety
16-Year-Old in DWI MVA, Home Health Aide Larceny and Evading Responsibility
Police Report, March 21-27, 2011.
16-year-old Driver Involved in DWI MVA
At 10:18 p.m. on March 25, police were called to the scene of an accident on Old Norwalk Road near New Norwalk Road, where an officer observed a vehicle had smashed through a split rail fence and mounted a rock wall near the roadway. The officer detected alcohol on the breath of the car’s driver, and conducted a field sobriety test, which she failed. The driver, a 16-year-old New Canaan resident, was taken to police headquarters where she was charged with operating under the influence of alcohol and violating passenger restrictions. The driver, who had gotten her license two weeks before the incident, had a 16-year-old male passenger in the vehicle. She posted $250 bond, and has a court date of April 6. The driver will be handled as an adult — a youthful offender — for both charges. There were no injuries, and no amount provided for damage to the fence, wall or vehicle.
DWI
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On March 25, Mark Allegretti, 38, of Salem Road, New Canaan, was charged with operating under the influence of alcohol and driving at an unreasonable speed after police running radar stopped him for speeding on Silvermine Road near Carter St. The incident occurred at 1:20 a.m. When he approached the vehicle, the officer smelled the odor of alcohol and noted other signs of intoxication. After conducting a field sobriety test, Allegretti was brought to police headquarters. He posted $250 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on April 5.
Larceny
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A family’s investigation led to the arrest of a private health care aide working for an 81-year-old New Canaan resident. On March 24, Betsy Arizmandi, 44, of Capitol Ave., Bridgeport was charged with first degree larceny, two counts of credit card theft, illegal use of a credit card, and receiving goods and services obtained by illegal use of a credit card, and fraudulent use of an automated teller machine.
According to police, Arizmandi, had been employed as a health aide to the victim for three years. On Jan. 28 of this year, his family contacted police for advice about dealing with arising suspicions that Arizmandi had been stealing from her charge. The family told police that they trusted Arizmandi, and that she had access to the victim’s bank accounts and checks. Family members told police they began to notice money was missing in August 2010. After investigating financial records, they discovered that Arizmandi had used the victim’s bank card and checks for personal use. They told police a total of $32,285 in unauthorized cash and credit card transactions had been taken from the victim’s accounts between August 2010 and February 2011.
The family was reluctant to press charges when they first came to police in January, but when they discovered the extent of the activity, they contacted police on Feb. 19 to pursue criminal charges.
Arizmandi posted $10,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on April 6.
Evading Responsibility in Parking Lot
On the afternoon of March 21, Ann M. Callahan, of New Canaan Ave., Norwalk turned herself in to New Canaan police headquarters after a warrant was issued for her arrest in connection with a January 2011 incident. At 3:28 on January 14, a Ford station wagon was damaged in the parking lot next to New Canaan Deli on Forest St. The station wagon was legally parked in the private lot. Police said the BMW, which did not have permission to use the lot, got stuck in the snow after hitting the left side rear bumper of the parked car.
A tow truck from AAA was called, but the driver managed to free the BMW before it arrived, and she left the scene. Police contacted AAA in the course of conducting their investigation, but AAA could not identify the driver. They did provide the name of the towing service they dispatched to the call, and that company provided police with Callahan’s name. An officer was sent to Callahan’s residence where he saw a car fitting the BMW’s description, with a dent and paint marks on it.
Upon receiving notification that a warrant had been issued, Callahan, 52, reported to New Canaan police headquarters. She was charged with evading responsibility, posted $2,500 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on March 31.
Larceny
At 1:39 p.m. on March 21, a 54-year-old New Canaan resident reported to police headquarters that items were missing from her car. She told police the items — an IBM laptop, a black canvas laptop case and some “personal documents” — were taken while the car was parked in the Walgreens lot on Pine St. The woman said she parked her car at 8:30 a.m. that morning, and was in Walgreens for approximately 45 minutes. After that she drove to Wilton. While in Wilton, she said her car was visible to her at all times. Upon returning home at approximately 1:30 p.m., she discovered the items were missing. The woman told police the car was locked when it was in the Walgreens parking lot. There was no sign of forced entry. The laptop was valued at $1,000 and the case at $50.
Nearly Five Years Later, He Turns Himself In for Failure to Appear
Bernardin Matos, 38, of Hamilton St., Harrison, NJ, turned himself in to New Canaan police headquarters at 2:47 p.m. on March 27 after a warrant was issued for failure to respond to an infraction. The original charge was for operating without a license on Feb. 28, 2006. Matos failed to respond on Sept. 18, 2006. He posted $233 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on April 6.
Missing Taillight Leads to Warrant Service
On March 26 at 1:29 a.m. police stopped a vehicle for a defective taillight and when running a license check found an outstanding warrant for the driver. New Canaan police served the warrant, issued by Redding police, on Louis J. Calabrese, Jr., 32, of Peaceable St., Ridgefield. New Canaan police issued an infraction for driving an unregistered motor vehicle.
Vandalism
On March 21 a Summer St. resident reported that someone had thrown a bottle against her house and the contents had stained the exterior siding. The damage was estimated at $50.
Family Disputes
At 11:03 a.m. on March 22, a 64-year-old Heritage Hill Road resident called 911 following an argument with her 23-year-old son that escalated. After the woman placed the 911 call, her son grabbed the cell phone from her hand, told the dispatcher everything was okay, and disabled the phone so his mother couldn’t make another call. Police responded to the residence, and William H. Bayles, 3d was arrested for interfering with a 911 call. He posted $500 bond and was scheduled to appear in court on March 23.
On the evening of March 25, police were called to a Valley Road residence by a where an argument between a 57-year-old father and his 19-year-old son had escalated. According to police, the son threatened his father’s life, kicked, and bit him after being asked to leave the house in the course of the argument. The father sustained minor injuries and did not require transport to a hospital. The son, Alejandro Ferrand, was charged with third degree assault, and second degree threatening. He posted $1,000 bond and was scheduled to appear in court on March 28.
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