A FIRE IN A LIGHTING FIXTURE AT THE WARREN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GYMNASIUM MONDAY MORNING LED TO THE ENTIRE BUILDING FILLING WITH SMOKE AND THE CANCELLATION OF CLASSES FOR THE DAY. AUTHORITIES TELL WZBG THEY GOT A CALL SHORTLY AFTER 8AM REPORTING A FIRE IN A GYM CEILING LIGHT FIXTURE AT THE WARREN SCHOOL. SEVERAL FIRE COMPANIES WERE CALLED FOR MUTUAL AID, BUT ALL WERE CANCELLED A SHORT TIME LATER EXCEPT FOR WASHINGTON, WHICH ASSISTED WARREN WITH ITS LADDER TRUCK TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE GYM ROOF. WZBG WAS TOLD THE LIGHTING FIXTURE CAUGHT FIRE, DRIPPING FLAMING MATERIALS ONTO THE FLOOR AND CREATING HEAVY SMOKE. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. WARREN 1ST SELECTMAN GREG LACAVA TELLS WZBG THAT WARREN SCHOOL STUDENTS WILL BE ATTENDING GOSHEN CENTER SCHOOL FOR PERHAPS THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS OR SO, UNTIL ALL RETURNS TO NORMAL AT WARREN ELEMENTARY
TORRINGTON POLICE RESPONDED TO A REPORT OF AN ALTERCaTION INVOLVING 7 TO 10 JUVENILES, AND A POTENTIAL STABBING, ON TURNER AVENUE LATE SUNDAY AFTERNOON. POLICE FOUND A 16-YEAR OLD BOY WITH A SMALL CUT TO HIS ABDOMEN. HE WAS TAKEN TO SAINT MARY’S HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT OF WHAT POLICE CALLED A NON-LIFE-THREATENING INJURY AND WAS LATER RELEASED. INVESTIGATORS LEARNED EVERYONE ON-SCENE KNEW EACHOTHER, AND THAT THE 16-YEAR OLD BOY HAD GONE TO TURNER AVENUE WITH A FRIEND SO THE FRIEND COULD SEE HIS CHILD. POLICE SAY THE VICTIM GOT INTO AN ARGUMENT WITH 18-YEAR OLD NYEMA ONEAL-RIVAS. ON VIDEO SURVEILLANCE ONEAL-RIVAS CAN ALLEGEDLY BE SEEN STRIKING THE BOY IN THE FACE WITH A CLOSED FIST, AND THE BOY STRIKING HER SEVERAL TIMES. ONEAL-RIVAS CAN BE SEEN RETRIEVING SOMETHING FROM HER POCKET AND STRIKING THE BOY ONCE. HE BACKS OFF, WALKS AWAY AND THE GATHERING BREAKS UP. POLICE CHARGED ONEAL-RIVAS WITH 2ND DEGREE ASSAULT & BREACH OF PEACE. FOR HIS PART IN THE ALTERCATION, THE INJURED 16-YEAR OLD BOY WAS ISSUED A JUVENILE SUMMONS FOR BREACH OF PEACE.
SERIOUS INJURIES WERE REPORTED IN A MOTORCYCLE CRASH IN NEW MILFORD MONDAY EVENING. POLICE SAY THAT IT HAPPENED IN THE AREA OF BULLS BRIDGE ON ROUTE 7 AND INVOLVED A SINGLE MOTORCYCLE. THE VICTIM WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT. NO FURTHER INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE.
STATE POLICE HAVE ARRESTED A TORRINGTON MAN FOR RECKLESS DRIVING AND ENGAGING STATE POLICE IN PURSUIT. ON SATURDAY, TROOP-L IN LITCHFIELD CALLED TROOP-C IN TOLLAND TO SAY THEY HAD 24-YEAR OLD KYLE ESPUTE OF TORRINGTON IN CUSTODY, AND LEARNED THAT TROOP-C HAD AN ACTIVE ARREST WARRANT FOR ESPUTE STEMMING FROM AN ATTEMPTED TRAFFIC STOP ON I-84 IN VERNON IN FEBRUARY. POLICE ALLEGE ESPUTE ENGAGED A TROOPER IN PURSUIT SHORTLY AFTER HE ALLEGEDLY DID THE SAME WITH LOCAL POLICE IN VERNON. ESPUTE WAS TURNED OVER TO TROOP-C SATURDAY & CHARGED WITH RECKLESS DRIVING OVER 85 MILES PER HOUR, ENGAGING POLICE IN PURSUIT, RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT AND MISUSE OF REGISTRATION PLATES. HE’S FREE ON BOND FOR A MAY 6TH COURT APPEARANCE.
CONNECTICUT LAWMAKERS ARE CONSIDERING A BILL THAT WOULD ALLOW INDIVIDUALS, MUNICIPALITIES, AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO SUE GUN BUSINESSES THAT VIOLATE OR HELP OTHERS EVADE STATE FIREARM LAWS. SUPPORTERS SAY THE MEASURE TARGETS BUSINESSES THAT FAIL TO PREVENT ILLEGAL SALES, WHILE OPPONENTS ARGUE IT WOULD UNFAIRLY BURDEN GUN STORES AND CLUBS.
THE CONNECTICUT BOARD OF REGENTS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY THAT IT WILL NOT RENEW CSCU CHANCELLOR TERRENCE CHENG’S CONTRACT, TRANSITIONING HIM TO A STRATEGIC ADVISOR ROLE STARTING IN JULY AMID SCRUTINY OVER QUESTIONABLE SPENDING UNCOVERED IN A STATE AUDIT. REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS CRITICIZED THE MOVE, CALLING FOR HIS RESIGNATION OVER HIS NEARLY $450,000 ANNUAL SALARY.
THE MAN WHO STRUCK AND KILLED STATE TROOPER AARON PELLETIER DURING A TRAFFIC STOP LAST YEAR WAS SENTENCED MONDAY TO 18 YEARS IN PRISON UNDER A PLEA AGREEMENT. CHANNEL-3 REPORTS 45-YEAR OLD ALEX OYOLA-SANCHEZ, PLEADED GUILTY FEBRUARY 25TH TO FIRST-DEGREE MANSLAUGHTER IN CONNECTION WITH THE MAY 2024 HIT-AND-RUN ON INTERSTATE 84 IN SOUTHINGTON. THE 34-YEAR OLD TROOPER PELLETIER WAS CONDUCTING A ROUTINE TRAFFIC STOP WHEN HE WAS STRUCK BY OYOLA-SANCHEZ, WHO FLED THE SCENE. THE CONVICTION CARRIES A MAXIMUM SENTENCE OF 20 YEARS, BUT OYOLA-SANCHEZ WILL SERVE 18 UNDER THE TERMS OF THE PLEA DEAL. OYOLA-SANCHEZ HAS A VIOLENT CRIMINAL HISTORY EIGHT YEARS BEFORE THE TROOPER’S DEATH, HE WAS CONVICTED IN PUERTO RICO FOR MURDERING THREE PEOPLE. HE SERVED JUST OVER NINE YEARS FOR THOSE KILLINGS BEFORE HIS RELEASE. THE PLEA DEAL HAS SPARKED FRUSTRATION AMONG MANY, INCLUDING MEMBERS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND TROOPER PELLETIER’S FAMILY. LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE EXPECTED TO ATTEND THE SENTENCING TO SUPPORT PELLETIER’S WIDOW AND LOVED ONES.
KIDS USING WHAT POLICE CALLED A “FLATULENCE SPRAY” CAUSED CHAOS AND RUMORS AFTER A NIGHT AT THE MCKINLEY CARNIVAL AT JENNINGS BEACH IN FAIRFIELD MONDAY EVENING. CHANNEL-3 EYEWITNESS NEWS REPORTS FAIRFIELD POLICE TOOK TO FACEBOOK TO ADDRESS THE SITUATION. THEY SAID THAT AT ONE POINT IN THE EVENING, A CROWD WAS SEEN RUNNING FROM THE BEACH. THIS RAISED CONCERNS, LEADING TO RUMORS SPREADING ONLINE. POLICE CLARIFIED THAT THERE WERE NO WEAPONS, NO PHYSICAL ALTERCATIONS, AND NO INJURIES. INSTEAD, THEY SAY A GROUP OF KIDS USING “FLATULENCE SPRAY” NEAR THE CARNIVAL EXIT CAUSED THE SCENE. QUOTING FAIRFIELD POLICE: “THIS PRANK, REPEATED SEVERAL TIMES THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT, LED TO CONFUSION AND CAUSED SMALL GROUPS TO SCREAM AND RUN,” POLICE SAID. “TOWARD THE END OF THE EVENING, A LARGER REACTION OCCURRED, TRIGGERING A RIPPLE EFFECT AS OTHERS BEGAN RUNNING WITHOUT KNOWING THE CAUSE.” FAIRFIELD POLICE THANKED RESIDENTS FOR THEIR PATIENCE, UNDERSTANDING AND CONCERN.
APRIL – AS SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH – IS WRAPPING UP BUT, REGISTRATION CONTINUES FOR TORRINGTON’S SUSAN B. ANTHONY PROJECT’S 8TH ANNUAL ‘WALK A MILE IN HER SHOES’ EVENT ON SUNDAY MAY 18TH FROM 9:30 TO 10:30 IN LITCHFIELD. THE INTERNATIONAL EVENT HAS MEN ‘WALK A MILE’ IN HIGH-HEELED SHOES TO RAISE AWARENESS OF SEXUAL & DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SHOW SOLIDARITY WITH SURVIVORS. WZBG’S DALE JONES HAS TAKE PART IN THIS EVENT, AND HOPES OTHER MEN WILL AS WELL. TO REGISTER FOR THE SUNDAY MAY 18TH ‘WALK A MILE’ IN LITCHFIELD CENTER, VISIT WWW.SBAPROJECT.ORG/WALKAMILE OR CALL (860)489-3798. THE AGENCY’S 24-HOUR CRISIS LINE IS (860)482-7133.
WZBG ONCE AGAIN IS PROUD TO BE A MEDIA SPONSOR OF THIS YEAR’S ‘GIVE LOCAL GREATER WATERBURY AND LITCHFIELD HILLS,’ A 36 HOUR ONLINE GIVE-A-THON TODAY & WEDNESDAY, WITH OVER 340 PARTICIPATING NON PROFITS THROUGHOUT OUR REGION ADDRESSING REAL NEEDS INCLUDING FOOD PANTRIES, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, EDUCATION, EMERGENCY VETRINARY CARE, DISEASE PREVENTION CLASSES, JOB TRAINING AND MUCH MORE, WHICH ARE CONTINUALLY ASKED TO DO MORE WITH FEWER FINANCIAL RESOURCES. YOU CAN MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT BY VISITING WWW.GIVELOCALCCF.ORG OR FIND A LINK ON OUR WEBSITE, WWW.WZBG.COM AND CLICK ON ‘GIVE LOCAL.’THESE LINKS WILL ASSIST YOU IN LEARNING ABOUT THESE GROUPS AND HOW TO FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THEM. ‘GIVE LOCAL’ HAS RAISED A REPORTED $17 MILLION DOLLARS FOR OUR NON-PROFITS OVER THE PAST DOZEN YEARS. 100% OF EACH TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATION GOES TO THE NON-PROFIT YOU SELECT. CONTRIBUTIONS OF $10 OR MORE MAY BE MADE VIA CREDIT OR DEBIT CARD. THERE’S NO MAXIMUM. WHAT’S MORE – YOUR GIFT WILL BE BOOSTED BY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ‘BONUS FUNDS’ SO YOUR DONATION INCREASES WITHOUT COSTING YOU ANY MORE. ‘GIVE LOCAL’ STARTS TODAY AT 7AM AND CONTINUES THROUGH 7PM WEDNESDAY. SO, LISTEN HERE ON WZBG TO LEARN MORE HOW TO GIVE, OR JUST VISIT WWW.GIVELOCALCCF.ORG.