Michael McManus

Southington police arrested Michael McManus, 21, of Southington for selling marijuana in the town of Southington. The arrest was a result of a Special Investigations Unit (SIU) investigation during May 2015.

Police received reports that McManus was selling marijuana in Southington. Based on this information, four controlled purchases of marijuana were made. As a result of this investigation, four arrest warrants were issued by Bristol Superior Court.

On Tuesday, Jan. 26, at approximately 3:10 p.m., officers went to McManus’s residence where he was located and taken into custody without incident.

McManus was charged with four counts of selling marijuana. He was held on a $35,000 court-set bond for each warrant ($140,000 total), and he was scheduled to appear in Bristol Court on Jan. 27.

The warrants were sealed at the time of the arrest and police will not release further information.

The Southington Police Department
69 Lazy Ln, Southington, CT 06489
(860) 378-1600

On Monday, Feb. 1, at approximately 5:52 p.m., the Southington Police Department received a call that two hikers had become lost on the Blue Trail at the end of the Panthorn Trail. Officers found that two female hikers (aged 15 and 26) on the Blue Trail were not carrying flashlights. As as they began to walk back to their vehicle, it became dark, so they called 911 for assistance.

Southington police hiked up the trail, and they were able to locate the hikers to guide them back to their vehicle. No one was injured. No further assistance was needed.

Spartan II Pizza Restaurant & Lounge
930 Meriden Waterbury Tpke., Plantsville, CT 06479
Phone: (860) 276-0090

The Southington Police Department is investigating a recent burglary at Spartans II Restaurant on 930 Meriden-Waterbury Tpke, and they are asking for help in the investigation.

Police received a report this morning, at approximately 4:45 a.m., about the burglar alarm at the restaurant. Upon arrival, officers found that a door on the south side of the building had been forced open.

Officers cleared the interior of the building and found that two cash registers in the bar area and a cash register in the take-out area were pried open. An unknown amount of cash was taken during the burglary.

A Police K-9 track for the suspects was unsuccessful. Investigators are working on obtaining video surveillance of the incident.

Anyone who may have witnessed this incident or may have information regarding this incident is asked to contact Det. Mark Beal at (860) 378-1645 or mbeal@southingtonpolice.org.

The Southington Police Department
69 Lazy Ln, Southington, CT 06489
(860) 378-1600

The Southington Police Department announced the following arrests from Thursday, Jan. 21 through Friday, Jan. 29:

• James L. Dietrichsen, 44, of 600 Middletown Ave., North Haven, was arrested on Jan. 21 for first degree robbery and sixth degree larceny.
• Dennis P. Conroy, 70, of 54 Malcein Dr., Southington, was arrested on Jan. 22 for disorderly conduct.
• Antwan Jones, 37, of 11 West Center St., Southington, was arrested on Jan. 22 for sixth degree larceny.
• Cheryl Ann St. Amant, 36, of 821 South End Rd., Southington, was arrested on Jan. 23 for third degree criminal mischief, disorderly conduct, interfering with a 911 call, and third degree assault.
• Brandon Campbell, 31, of 48 Lombardo Court, Marion, was arrested on Jan. 25 for second degree breach of peace, second degree threatening, and operating a motor vehicle under suspension.
• Daniel R. Raymond, 26, of 82 Curtiss St., Southington, was arrested on Jan. 26 for operating a motor vehicle while drinking and improper number of headlights.
• Kevin A. Blake, 25, of 93 Graystone Rd., Waterbury, was arrested on Jan. 26 for first degree failure to appear. In two separate cases, he was arrested for second degree failure to appear.
• Michael L. McManus, 21, of 70 Summit St., Southington, was arrested on Jan. 26 for four cases of selling marijuana.
• Brian Agostinucci, 57, of 426 Buckland St., Plantsville, was arrested on Jan. 26 for driving under the influence and failure to drive right.
• Arthur E. Cyr, 65, of 103 Berlin Ave., Southington, was arrested on Jan. 27 for failure to drive in proper lane.
• Lori A. Matteson, 38, of 112 Eagle Dr., Newington, was arrested on Jan. 27 for sixth degree larceny.
• Nicole Bahr, 30, of 84 Deering Ln., Waterbury, was arrested on Jan. 27 for sixth degree larceny.
• Melissa Ann Harris, 42, of 138 Wolcott Hill Rd., Wethersfield, was arrested on Jan. 28 for second degree failure to appear. In separate case, she was arrested for second degree failure to appear.
• Philip G. Bodey, 55, of 1198 Flanders Rd., Southington, was arrested on Jan. 28 for disorderly conduct.
• Jayne C. Cluett, 60, of 1198 Flanders Rd., Southington, was arrested on Jan. 28 for disorderly conduct.
• Russell Woodward Jr., 30, of 7 Sixth St., Derby, was arrested on Jan. 28 for three counts of sixth degree larceny.
• Kendall Rivera, 22, of 587 Burlington Ave., Bristol, was arrested on Jan. 29 for interfering with an officer, second degree breach of peace, second degree harassment, and disobeying an officers signal.

Southington police tracked down a drunken driver on West Center Street Extension after receiving reports of an erratic driver on state and local roads.

At approximately 9:46 p.m. on Jan. 29, police received a report of an erratic driver starting on I-84 and going through several local streets in Southington. The witness reported that a vehicle was being operated in an erratic manner on I-84, Marion Avenue, Mount Vernon Road, and West Center Street Extension. At one point, the witness reported that the vehicle nearly struck a child pedestrian near a crosswalk on Mount Vernon Road near the Mount Southington ski area. No one was injured during the incident.

Officers located the driver and the suspect vehicle on West Center Street Extension, and the driver, Alexia Fliss, 25, of New Britain was taken into custody.

Fliss was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drug, reckless driving, and failure to drive right. She was released on a $5,000 bond with a court appearance date of Feb. 8.

Due to the ongoing snowfall and attempts to clear the roadways of snow, the Town of Southington and the Southington Police Department will be implementing a parking ban on all streets effective immediately.  The ban will remain in effect until further notice.

At Midnight the normal winter month’s overnight parking ban will go into effect.

Stephen Cieszynski

Stephen Cieszynski, 47, of 108 Atwater St. in Southington was arrested at 7:05 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 6, after a domestic dispute.

The police investigation showed that Cieszynski assaulted an 83-year-old victim, causing a head injury. During the incident, Cieszynski also caused a disturbance inside the home, knocking over several items including furniture. When officers attempted to take him into custody, Cieszynski resisted arrest.

Cieszynski was charged with assault of an elderly person, interfering with police, and second degree breach of peace. He was held on a $50,000 bond with a scheduled court appearance on Monday, Feb. 8, 2016.

Nigel Watts

Police received a gun complaint at 12:22 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 6 and were dispatched to Motel 6 at 625 Queen St.

The complaint originated from Motel 6 staff after they received a call from Nigel Watts, 26, of Waterbury stating he forgot an item in his room, and he was on his way back to retrieve it. Hotel staff checked the room where Watts had stayed and found a small handgun under the pillow on the bed.

Watts returned to the motel to retrieve the handgun, and he was stopped in the parking lot by Southington police. He was taken into custody without incident.

Watts was arrested and charged with criminal possession of a pistol/revolver, illegal carrying of a pistol without a permit, and second degree breach of peace. He was released on a $10,000 bond and given an appearance date of Feb. 16, 2016 in Bristol.

Watts was then turned over to Waterbury Police for an active arrest warrant.

Donald Cahill

Police arrested Donald Cahill, 46, of Berlin at approximately 7:09 p.m. on Feb. 6 when officers were called to a verbal argument that turned physical.

Police were investigating a call that Cahill and the victim were involved in a verbal argument. When the argument turned physical, Cahill allegedly held the victim down. When he got up, Cahill pushed him in the back, causing the victim to fall and break a television tray. It is also alleged that Cahill threw other household items around the interior of the residence and damaged a television screen.

The victim suffered minor injuries and did not require medical attention.

Cahill was arrested and charged with third degree assault, second degree breach of peace, and third degree criminal mischief. He was held on a $5,000 bond with an appearance date of Feb. 8, 2016.

Dominic M. Cardinale

As a result of a June 2015 investigation, Southington police arrested a local man for selling and distributing cocaine and heroine.

The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) received a tip in June that Dominic M. Cardinale, 36, of Southington was selling cocaine and heroin in town. Based on this information, three separate controlled purchases were made from Cardinale. As a result of the investigation, three arrest warrants were issued by Bristol Superior Court.

Cardinale turned himself into police at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 9 after being informed of the active arrest warrants. He was processed and charged with selling certain heroin and two counts of selling cocaine. Each warrant had a $75,000 bond attached ($225,000 total).

Cardinale is scheduled to appear in Bristol Court on Feb. 9. The warrants were sealed at the time of the arrest, and no further details will be released.

The Southington Police Department
69 Lazy Ln, Southington, CT 06489
(860) 378-1600

The Southington Police Department announced the following arrests from Friday, Jan. 29 through Saturday, Feb. 6:

• Kelly J. Clarke, 53, of 155 Debbie Dr., Southington, was arrested on Jan. 29 for driving under the influence of liquor or drug, evading responsibility, and failure to maintain lane.
• Alexia D. Fliss, 25, of 242 Reservoir Rd., New Britain, was arrested on Jan. 29 for driving under the influence of liquor or drug, failure to drive right, and reckless driving.
• Cheryl Ann StAmant, 36, of 821 South End Rd., Southington, was arrested on Jan. 30 for violation of a protective order.
• Melissa E. Przygocki, 28, of 16 Pine Grove Rd., Southington, was arrested on Jan. 30 for evading responsibility and failure to drive right.
• Trevor Trueman, 25, of 103 Sunrise Circle, Newington, was arrested on Jan. 30 for sixth degree larceny.
• Nicholas L. Lea, 19, of 38 West Pearl St., Plainville, was arrested on Jan. 31 for possession of less than one half ounce of marijuana.
• Amy Hillabrecht, 56, of 389 Dunham St., Southington, was arrested on Feb. 3 for sixth degree larceny.
• Guiseppe Vitarella, 40, of 230 Berlin Ave., Southington, was arrested on Feb. 4 for interfering or resisting officer.
• Thomas Michael Pomposi, 57, of 30 Oriole Ln., Southington, was arrested on Feb. 4 for second degree breach of peace.
• Karen Stagaj, 59, of 53 Old Turnpike Rd., Southington, was arrested on Feb. 4 for disorderly conduct.
• Nigel Maurice Watts, 26, of 19 Walnut St., Waterbury, was arrested on Feb. 6 for criminal possession of a pistol, carrying a pistol without a permit, and second degree breach of peace.
• Stephen Cieszynski, 47, of 108 Atwater St., Southington, was arrested on Feb. 6 for interfering with officers, assault on an elderly person, and second degree breach of peace.
• Joshua Jennings, 29, of 962 South Main St., Southington, was arrested on Feb. 6 for violation of a protective order.
• Donald Joseph Cahill, 46, of 354 Berlin Tpk., Berlin, was arrested on Feb. 6 for third degree criminal mischief, second degree breach of peace, and third degree assault.

The Southington Police Department
69 Lazy Ln, Southington, CT 06489
(860) 378-1600

The Southington Police Department announced the following arrests from Friday, Jan. 29 through Saturday, Feb. 6:

• Chauncey Moore, 34, of 111 View St., Meriden, was arrested on Feb. 8 for disorderly conduct and third degree assault.
• Dominic M. Cardinale, 36, of 59 Robindale Dr., Southington, was arrested on Feb. 9 for two incidents of selling cocaine and one incident of selling heroin.
• Zachary H. Boutin, 27, of 431 Main St., Hanover, was arrested on Feb. 9 for failure to respond to an infraction.
• Grahm Lucas, 30, of 46 Hitching Post Dr., Southington, was arrested on Feb. 11 for disorderly conduct.

Mikhail Dikler

When Southington police arrested Mikhail Dikler, 33, of Brooklyn for shoplifting at Walmart, they found an outstanding warrant in New York.

Police were dispatched to Walmart, at 235 Queen St., at approximately 4:37 p.m. on Feb. 14 after receiving a report about a shoplifter. Dikler was observed by Walmart security as he concealed numerous cosmetic items in his jacket. He then passed all points of sale without attempting to pay for the merchandise that he had concealed.

Once confronted by the security staff, Dikler ran from them across the parking lot where he was stopped as Police arrived at the scene. Approximately $51 of merchandise was recovered from Dikler. He was charged with sixth degree larceny and held on a $10,000 bond with a scheduled court appearance on Feb. 16 at the Bristol Court.

During the investigation, police found an extraditable warrant for Dikler out of the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, New York. After confirming his identity through a fingerprint check, the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s office confirmed the original indictment and warrant for the felony charges of receiving stolen property, forgery and petty theft from an incident on or about March 12, 2015.

Dikler was charged as a fugitive from justice, in violation of CGS 54-170 and held on a $25,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in Bristol (GA-17) on Feb. 16.

Dan Morin

Dan Morin, 43, of Southington turned himself into police after learning there was an active warrant for his arrest. The arrest came after police uncovered a marijuana grow while investigating a home invasion at Morin’s residence in January.

Police were called to Morin’s home at 735 Meriden Waterbury Tpk. on Monday, Jan. 4, 2016 at approximately 6:41 p.m. after receiving a call from Morin reporting that he was the victim of a home invasion.

Morin and a female were inside the home when three individuals, dressed in black with gloves and a mask, that forced their way into the house. All three individuals had hand guns.

Morin attempted to confront the individuals, and an altercation ensued. During the altercation, one of the intruders fired two shots, and Morin was struck in the upper arm. The intruders moved about the house before fleeing on foot. Morin suffered non-life threatening injuries.

Officers responded to the initial call with a K-9 unit, and the police checked the area. The suspects were not located, and detectives remained on the scene.

During the ongoing investigation, a marijuana grow was located in the basement of Morin’s home.  Recovered from the home was 105 marijuana plants, approximately 1.5 pounds of packaged marijuana, and various pieces of marijuana growing equipment.

Morin was charged with cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to sell, possession of more than four ounces of marijuana, operation of a drug factory, possession of narcotics, possession of a controlled substance, and declaration of possession of a large capacity magazine. He was processed and released after posting a $50,000 bond. He has a court date of Feb. 22.

The home invasion continues to be investigated.

The Southington Police Department
69 Lazy Ln, Southington, CT 06489
(860) 378-1600

The Southington Police Department announced the following arrests from

• Ian Puzycki, 23, of 465 Ridge Rd., Middletown, was arrested on Feb. 12 for sixth degree larceny, illegal use of a credit card, and credit card fraud.
• Dan J. Morin, 43, of 735 Meriden Waterbury Tpke, Southington, was arrested on Feb. 12 for cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to sell, possession of more than four ounces of marijuana, operating a drug factory, possession of narcotics, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of a large capacity magazine.
• Mikhail Dikler, 33, of 155 Bay St., Brooklyn, N.Y., was arrested on Feb. 14 for sixth degree larceny. In a separate incident, he was arrested for extradition.
• Melvin A. Rodriguez-Ayala, 36, of 33 McArthur Dr., Southington, was arrested on Feb. 14 for third degree assault and disorderly conduct.
• Carol Oflaherty, 31, of 166 Prospect St., Plantsville, was arrested on Feb. 14 for driving under the influence of liquor or drug and failure to maintain lane.
• Chastity Goris, 27, of 67 Lowland Ave., Waterbury, was arrested on Feb. 15 for second degree breach of peace and third degree assault.
• Kenneth S. Fortier, 52, of 34 Plum Orchard Rd., Southington, was arrested on Feb. 16 for disorderly conduct.
• Kimberly Fortier, 49, of 34 Plum Orchard Rd., Southington, was arrested on Feb. 16 for two counts of disorderly conduct.

The Southington Police Department
69 Lazy Ln, Southington, CT 06489
(860) 378-1600

Southington police made a pair of arrests after receiving notice from the Connecticut State Police, Sex Offender Registry Unit about locals who did not comply with the state’s sex offender registry guidelines.

Mark Singleton

On Wednesday, Feb. 17, Mark Wade Singleton, 38, of Marion Avenue in Plantsville, turned himself into police after learning about a warrant for his arrest. The investigation began when Singleton did not submit an address verification form within the statutorily required time frame.

Singleton was charged with failure to register. He was processed and released on a $5000 bond with a court appearance of Feb. 29, 2016.

Anthony Esposito

On Thursday, Feb. 18, Anthony R. Esposito, 45, of Sunnyridge Drive in Plantsville, turned himself into police after learning about a warrant for his arrest. The investigation began when Singleton did not submit an address verification form within the statutorily required time frame.

Esposito was charged with two counts violation of the sex offender registry. He was processed and released on a $5,000 bond with a court appearance of Feb. 29, 2016.

The Southington Police Department
69 Lazy Ln, Southington, CT 06489
(860) 378-1600

On Friday, Feb. 19, Adam M. Rolon, 33, last known to live in Torrington, was arrested at the Bristol Courthouse on an arrest warrant stemming from a shoplifting incident at the Southington Walmart on Queen Street.

According to the warrant, Rolon and an accomplice entered the Southington Walmart on Aug. 8, 2015, and the pair selected merchandise from the store shelves and placed it in a shopping cart that they left near the service desk. The pair then left the score but returned approximately six minutes later to take the cart to the service desk.

At the service desk, they returned the merchandise in the cart for store credit. The warrant alleges that Rolon returned two items and received $79.76 in store credit.

Southington police applied for an application and writ habeas corpus after learning that Rolon was incarcerated at Osborn Correctional Institute for a probation violation related to a separate burglary offense. The warrant was served in court.

Rolon was charged with sixth degree larceny, third degree burglary, conspiracy to commit sixth degree larceny, and conspiracy to commit third degree burglary. He was booked at the Bristol Court and held on a $1,500 bond.

There is still a warrant pending for the accomplice.

A pair of locals have been arrested by Southington police after two shoplifting incidents at Stop & Shop at 505 North Main St.

Police were called to the store just after 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 16 after receiving a report of a shoplifter in custody. During the investigation, officers identified a second shoplifting incident earlier in the day involving the same suspect. Two people were found to have been working together in both incidents.

The investigation showed that, at approximately 2 p.m., Steven Galipeau, 32, of Southington, entered the store and selected merchandise from the shelves before leaving the store without paying. The items were allegedly sold in Hartford later in the day. Police identified Aimee Sycz, 28, of Southington, waiting for Galipeau in a vehicle in the parking lot.

The stolen items were identified as three 12-packs of Red Bull (valued at $21.59 each) and four 4-packs of Red Bull (valued at $8.19 each). The total value of items stolen was $97.53.

At approximately, 8:02 p.m., the couple returned. This time, Sycz entered Stop & Shop while Galipeau waited in the car. Sycz selected merchandise from the shelves and left the store without paying. At this point Sycz was stopped by Store Security, and the investigation was initiated.

During the theft at 8:02 pm incident, the following items were stolen: three 12-packs of Red Bull ($21.59 each), five 4-packs of Red Bull ($8.19 each), one Gatorade ($1.59), and one 25-ounce can of Bud Light ($2.54). The total value of items stolen was $109.85.

Sycz and Galipeau were each issued a misdemeanor summons, and both were charged with two counts of sixth degree larceny, and two counts of conspiracy to commit sixth degree larceny. They were released on $500 bonds and are scheduled to appear in Bristol Superior Court on Feb. 29, 2016.

Bristol police arrested and charged a Southington man involved in a two-vehicle crash that left two children dead and four adults injured last December.
According to a press release from the Bristol Police Department, 26-year-old Michael Luponio was legally intoxicated while driving at an excessive speed in the area of Pinebrook Terrace on Dec. 13. When heading northbound on Middle Street with a blood alcohol level of .24 percent, the release said Luponio crossed over the centerline and struck a second vehicle heading southbound. The driver of the second vehicle was 31-year-old Kayla Torres, who lost her daughters in the crash, including seven-year-old Veronica Martinez and four-year-old Yvette Martinez, the release said.
The police investigation also determined that Luponio did not have motor vehicle insurance, the release said. Luponio was charged with two counts of second degree manslaughter with a motor vehicle, three counts of second degree assault with a motor vehicle, operating under the influence of alcohol, reckless driving and no insurance. He was held on a $500,000 surety bond and was arraigned at Bristol Superior Court today.

A hiker discovered a detonated pipe bomb, above, at Crescent Lake.

Police were dispatched to Crescent Lake, at 495 Shuttle Meadow Rd., just after 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 28 after a hiker reported a detonated pipe bomb in the woods. The Southington Fire Department and an American Medical Response Ambulance were also dispatched to the area.

The hiker told police he located a suspicious black object, which resembled a pipe bomb. The item was discovered after the hiker had walked approximately 30 minutes into the woods off of a trail. The device was found resting at the base of a tree.

The device is described as an eight inch long metal tube, black in color, two to three inches in diameter with a small hole drilled in the base. One end was covered in what appeared to be a large amount of duct tape

The device had been moved by the hiker, and the original area where the device was found was located and secured by police. Members of the SPD Special Investigations Unit and the Connecticut State Police (CSP) bomb technicians responded to the scene. The device was packaged up safely by CSP and removed from the scene. It appears that the device had been previously detonated. The CSP believes that the device may have been at this location for up to one year.

Anyone with any information about this incident is asked to contact the Southington Police Department Det. Kyle Dobratz at (860) 378-1654. Residents are also reminded that if they locate a suspicious object or package, so not touch it. Police warn to leave it in place, move away from the area, and call 911.