Darien Depot
Rhea Bhat girl hit by pickup

Darien Student Talks About Getting Hit by Pickup Truck in Town — and What She’s Doing About It

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“Many of you may have heard — about two years ago a girl got hit by a pickup truck after trying to get off the late bus,” a school bus that had just let off students on the Post Road, Rhea Bhat, a Darien High School freshman recently told the Board of Selectmen. “That girl was me.” Bhat, a member of Students Against Destructive Decisions at the high school was one of nine high school girls who told the board at its Monday, Nov. 26 meeting what they do at the Depot—Darien Youth Center and how valuable that is to them. Bhat went on to talk about the incident, which was covered in news stories at the time, how she was affected by it since and what she’s doing, partly in SADD meetings at the Depot, to try to prevent others from driving distracted.

Public Safety
Darien Police SUV on Road

Police: Darien Man, 30, Smoked Pot, Texted While Driving, Crashed Into Tree

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A 30-year-old Darien man told police he was texting when he hit a tree as he was driving on Hollow Tree Ridge Road, and police smelled marijuana in his car, then found some, police said. He wasn’t injured in the accident, but the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt he was driving was disabled, police said. Darien police described what happened with this account, including accusations not proven in court:

Matthew Byrne was driving about 270 feet south of his home at 290 Hollow Tree Ridge Road and texting on his phone when, he later told police, his foot slipped off the pedal, causing him to leave the roadway and strike a tree. The accident was reported to police at 6:23 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 2.

Public Safety
Darien Police Distracted Driving 2018

Distracted Driving Enforcement Campaign Announced: Runs Aug 1 to 15

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Darien police will be looking for drivers using cell phones while behind the wheel as part of a larger distracted driving campaign taken up by various departments around the state, the Police Department announced. The “Distracted Driving — High Visibility Enforcement Campaign” is meant to discourage drivers from using hand-held phones or any mobile electronic devices. “Texting while driving is one of the leading causes of car accidents,” police said in the announcement emailed Tuesday evening. Police Chief Raymond Osborne previously mentioned the campaign at town board meetings. “All drivers, including adult, novice and school bus drivers, are prohibited from texting while driving.,” the announcement said.

Public Safety
Police Car

Stay Off the Cellphone While Driving: Darien Police Step Up Distracted Driving Enforcement in August

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Darien police are participating in an enforcement program for distracted driving, including in particular drivers on cell phones while they’re driving. The program starts on Wednesday, Aug. 1, Police Chief Ray Osborne said. “We’ll have extra officers on patrol looking for cell phone violations,” Osborne said at a recent Police Commission meeting. The enforcement campaign will run for two weeks.