Police Incident Report for Dec. 7 to 13
The Valley Courier publishes a Police Incident Report to inform residents of incidents, criminal activities, and police responses occurring in the towns of Essex, Deep River, and Chester. As those charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty, the report does not include names. It may be edited for space and content.
Essex
Wednesday, Dec. 7 to Thursday, Dec. 8
No arrests were made.
Friday, Dec. 9
No arrests were made.
• A 30 year-old man of Westerly, Rhode Island was issued a citation at 12:35 p.m. for failure to maintain a reasonable distance apart and distracted driving after the 2017 Chevy Cruze he was operating on Main Street struck the rear of a 2004 Dodge RAM operated by a 53 year-old South Carolina man. No injuries were reported or observed and both vehicles were driven from the scene.
Saturday, Dec. 10
No arrests were made.
• A two-vehicle accident was investigated on Route 154 at Route 153 at 3:34 p.m. A 28 year-old Old Saybrook man was operating a 2004 Chevy Silverado when he proceeded through the intersection of Route 154 and 153 and struck a 2013 GMC Sierra operated by a 58 year-old East Haddam man. No injuries were reported or observed. The vehicle sustained only minor damage. No enforcement action was indicated in the trooper’s report.
Sunday, Dec. 11
No arrests were made.
• A 40 year-old Chester man was issued a verbal warning at 8:13 p.m. for traveling too fast for conditions after he lost control of the 2006 Dodge Ram 1500 he was operating in snowy conditions and struck a metal beam guardrail. No injuries were reported or observed. The vehicle was towed by Atwood’s Auto.
Monday, Dec. 12
No arrests were made.
Tuesday, Dec. 13
No arrests were made.
• A fatal traffic accident was investigated on Route 9 involving an Essex man and a Deep River man. William F. Spitzschuh was pronounced deceased at the scene after the 2001 Toyota Corolla he was operating struck the rear of a 1996 Pierce fire truck that was stopped with its lights engaged for the scene of a two-vehicle accident. The operator of the fire truck was transported to the Middlesex Hospital Shoreline Medical Clinic for evaluation of possible injuries sustained in the crash. Both vehicles were towed from the scene. Anyone with information concerning this crash is asked to contact Trooper Paul Pederson at 860-399-2100. The motor vehicle accident the fire department had responded to involved a 34 year-old man of Brookside Lane in Essex, who was found at fault for the first accident and was issued a misdemeanor summons at 6:40 p.m. for operating a motor vehicle without insurance, traveling too fast for conditions, and failure to drive a reasonable distance apart.
Deep River
Wednesday, Dec. 7 to Saturday, Dec. 10
No arrests were made.
Sunday, Dec. 11
No arrests were made.
• A 74 year-old woman of Valatie, New York was issued a verbal warning at 7:15 p.m. for traveling too fast for conditions after she lost control of the 2006 Toyota TAC she was operating in icy conditions and struck a guardrail. No injuries were reported or observed.
Monday, Dec. 12 to Tuesday, Dec. 13
No arrests were made.
Chester
Wednesday, Dec. 7 to Saturday, Dec. 10
No arrests were made.
Sunday, Dec. 11
No arrests were made.
• A 25 year-old Old Saybrook man was issued a verbal warning at 7:49 p.m. for traveling too fast for conditions after he lost control of the 2003 Toyota 4Runner he was operating and struck a guardrail. No injuries were reported or observed.
Monday, Dec. 12
No arrests were made.
• Harassment was investigated at Chester Village West, located on West Main Street, at 9:18 a.m. Items of evidence were seized and sent to the state forensics laboratory for analysis in the ongoing investigation.
Tuesday, Dec. 13
No arrests were made.
• A 36 year-old Haddam man was issued a citation at 7:53 a.m. for traveling too fast for conditions after the 2006 Nissan Frontier he was operating drove off the right shoulder of the roadway and struck a dirt embankment. No injuries were reported or observed.
• A 61-year-old Old Saybrook man was issued a citation at 3:46 p.m. for failure to drive right after the 2005 Dodge Stratus he was operating on Route 9 exit ramp #6 collided with a wire rope guardrail located on the right shoulder. No injuries were reported or observed. The vehicle was towed.
Senior correspondent Jason J. Marchi compiles the Police Incident Report.