New Canaan Town Employee Facing Weapon Charges in Feb. DWI Incident

A New Canaan town employee charged in February with driving while intoxicated following a crash in a New Canaan town truck now faces weapons charges stemming from the same case.

Marc C. Fischer, 33, of Connecticut Avenue in Norwalk, turned himself into New Canaan Police on new charges of carrying a firearm while under the influence of drugs or alcohol after police found a handgun in his personal vehicle the night of the crash, police announced Monday.

On Feb. 2 at 10:49 p.m., Fischer was involved in an accident at Clapboard Hill and Little Brook roads as snow began to accumulate on the roadway while driving a Highway Department truck. He allegedly failed field sobriety tests conducted by officers at the scene after an officer said he detected the smell of alcohol on Fischer's breath.

Police said Monday Fischer informed them that same night of a handgun he was keeping in his personal vehicle, a Ruger .380. Police said officers and Highway Department personnel visited Fischer's vehicle and secured the weapon.

Though Fischer had a permit to carry the weapon and the gun was in a vehicle separate from the one he was operating at the time of the accident, police said an investigation following the incident led police to believe Fischer was operating the vehicle on his trip into work already under the influence, and would have at that time been in possession of the weapon while intoxicated.

Fischer turned himself into police at 1 p.m. on March 18, 2013, on the new charges.

Police said they could not reveal what condition or state in which the weapon was found, nor could they reveal where in the vehicle the weapon was discovered, as an investigation was ongoing.