Drinking in Darien 2021

Darien Driving While Intoxicated 2021

Police: DUI for Woman, 35, After Her Vehicle Hits a Guardrail on West Ave at 6:20 PM, New Year’s Eve

By David Gurliacci | January 4, 2022

A 35-year-old woman driving on West Avenue at 6:20 p.m. on New Year’s Eve struck guardrail, then drove off, police said. Soon afterward, she was charged with driving while under the influence. Darien police gave this account of what happened, including accusations not proven in court:

Police went to West Avenue near the two intersections of West and Holmes Avenues after witnesses called them to the scene. The police news release didn’t say how they contacted the driver, a resident of Glenbrook Road in Stamford. While speaking with the woman, police smelled the odor of an alcoholic beverage.

Darien Driving While Intoxicated 2021

Night Police Lights CT State Police on Facebook March 30-17 uploaded 06-20-17

Police: DUI for Driver Taken to a Hospital After His Car Struck Another and Rolled Onto Its Side

By David Gurliacci | December 21, 2021

A car driven by a 53-year-old man late Friday night hit a parked vehicle on Park Place, causing his own car to roll onto its side. The driver was taken to a hospital, and police charged him with driving while under the influence of alcohol. Darien police described what happened with this account, including accusations not proven in court:

Joseph Lasko III of Stamford made a turn onto Park Place from Fitch Avenue shortly before police were called at 11:53 p.m. that night. He told police he didn’t notice the parked vehicle on the side of the road. When police arrived at the scene, Lasko was trapped in his car.

Darien Driving While Intoxicated 2021

Police: DUI for 33-Year-Old Man Driving With Three Times the Legal Blood-Alcohol Level

By David Gurliacci | November 9, 2021

A 33-year-old man, stopped by a police officer on the Post Road sometime past midnight on Sunday, Nov. 7, had more than three times the legal blood-alcohol content in him for driving, Darien police said. Police described what happened with this account, including accusations not proven in court:

Edgar Lima-Barrera was driving west on the Post Road (police didn’t say where on the road) when a police officer saw his car cross the double yellow line into the eastbound traffic lane. The officer had the driver stop. When talking with Lima-Barrera, the officer smelled a strong odor of an alcoholic drink and saw that the driver’s eyes were red and glassy.

Public Safety

Police: DUI for Man, 34, After Reports of His Car Swerving at 9:13 PM on the Post Road

By David Gurliacci | October 21, 2021

A 34-year-old man was found by an officer in the man’s car on the side of the Post Road near Dubois Street after police had been told a car was swerving and without headlights, police said. Darien police gave this additional information about the matter, including accusations not proven in court:

The report to police (which came on Wednesday, Oct. 13) mentioned a white Acura, and the driver’s car fit the description. It was off the roadway, on sidewalk and grass. The driver seemed to be confused and had glassy red eyes, and the smell of an alcoholic drink came from inside the car.

Public Safety

Police: Man Drove Intoxicated at 1:16 AM, With Child in Unsecured Child Seat

By David Gurliacci | October 20, 2021

A 31-year-old man was driving early one recent morning on the Post Road with a child in a child seat which was unsecured to the car, police said. When an officer stopped the car, police added, the child and child seat were wedged in between the front and back seats, and the man’s blood-alcohol content was well over the legal limit. The police announcement gave no indication that the child was injured or harmed. Police gave this additional information in their account, which included accusations not proven in court:

At 1:31 a.m., Saturday, an officer reported that a vehicle went over the double yellow line on the Post Road (the announcement didn’t say where on that street, but the vehicle was stopped on Brookside Road). After the officer approached the driver, Ozni Cucpacay of Davenport Street in Norwalk, and smelled a strong odor of alcohol coming from inside the vehicle.

Darien Driving While Intoxicated 2021

Police: Man, 26, Driving With 2X Legal Alcohol Limit, Without Headights at Night

By David Gurliacci | October 20, 2021

A 26-year-old man was driving over the traffic lines and without lights on the Post Road at 3:41 a.m. recently, and according to a breath test, he had double the legal amount of blood-alcohol content in him, Darien police said. Police gave this account of what happened, including accusations not proven in court:

On Monday, Oct. 11, an officer saw a vehicle on the Post Road (the police announcement didn’t say where) and saw the passenger-side tires swerve over dotted white lines. The officer also saw that the rear lights weren’t on. After stopping the car and approaching the driver, a Stamford man, the officer smelled alcohol coming from inside the vehicle.

Community Fund of Darien 2021

Five-Year, $625K Fed Grant Includes Funds to Expand Pot, Alcohol Education for Darien Kids, Parents

By DARIENITE.COM | October 15, 2021

More education efforts about teen marijuana and alcohol use will be coming in the next five years now that the Thriving Youth Task Force of Darien has been awarded $125,000 per year for the next five years by a grant from the federal government. The federal Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Grant, managed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will support TYTF activities. The task force is organized by The Community Fund of Darien, which runs the TYTF program. Janet King, executive director of The Community Fund of Darien, said the funding will not only allow her organization to continue the Thriving Youth Task Force’s programs in teen substance use prevention and education, but to expand them. “The DFC Grant gives us a fantastic opportunity to further engage our community to work together towards this goal,” she said.

Darien Driving While Intoxicated 2021

Police: DUI for Darien Man, 71, Driving at 1:16 AM on Long Neck Point Road

By David Gurliacci | October 12, 2021

An arrest on a charge of driving while intoxicated resulted when a police officer, driving north on Long Neck Point Road at 1:16 a.m., Sunday, saw a southbound vehicle crossing the double yellow line, police said. Darien police gave this account of the incident, including accusations not proven in court:

The officer saw the other vehicle at 1:16 a.m., then turned around and followed it, until it stopped in a driveway on Pear Tree Point Road. That turned out to be at the home of the driver, a 71-year-old man. After coming close to the driver, the officer could smell a strong oder of of an alcoholic beverage. The driver didn’t adequately perform standard field sobriety tests, so he was charged with driving under the influence.

Public Safety

Police: DUI for Man, 26, After One-Vehicle Accident Leaves His Car on a Stone Wall

By DAVID GURLIACCI | September 30, 2021

Police who arrived at the scene of a car accident on Haskell Lane last May found a vehicle stuck on a rock wall, with the driver still inside. Darien police gave this account of what happened, including accusations not proven in court:

Police received a call about the accident at 9:17 p.m. on May 19. When they spoke with the driver, Charles Bazelais, 26, police could smell alcohol on his breath and saw his eyes were glassy. He was treated at the scene by Darien EMS-Post 53 and taken by ambulance to Stamford Hospital. Police didn’t announce any information about his condition.

Darien Driving While Intoxicated 2021

Police: DUI for Man, 30, Found Sleeping Behind the Wheel in the Middle of an Intersection

By David Gurliacci | September 8, 2021

A 30-year-old man was asleep behind the wheel of a car stopped in the middle of the intersection of Hollow Tree Ridge Road and Allwood Road when an officer on patrol came by, police said. Darien police gave this account of what happened next (including accusations not proven in court):

The officer saw the car, a Subaru sedan, at 1:53 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 4. He approached the vehicle and could see the driver was apparently asleep. It took several attempts for officers to rouse the man.

Darien Driving While Intoxicated 2021

Police: DUI for 31-Year-Old Darien Woman After Her Vehicle Strikes a Stone Wall

By David Gurliacci | August 12, 2021

After a vehicle driven by a 31-year-old Darien woman struck a stone wall on Hollow Tree Ridge Road, she was charged with driving while under the influence, police said. Darien police gave this account of what happened, including accusations not proven in court:

Police were called to the roadway outside 95 Hollow Tree Ridge Road at 1:15 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 7, where the vehicle had struck the stone wall at a sharp turn in the road. The police news release did not describe damage to the vehicle or to the wall or say whether or not the driver appeared to be injured. The driver, Allesandra Mossa, a resident of the same street, a bit north of Interstate 95, appeared confused and smelled of alcohol.

Darien Driving While Intoxicated 2021

Police: DUI for Woman, 27, Who Left Scene After Her Car Strikes Another Vehicle

By David Gurliacci | July 11, 2021

A 27-year-old woman who was drinking before she started driving got into an accident after leaving a driveway onto the street near the intersection of Center Street and the Post Road, police said. She then drove away from the scene, police said. But an officer found her and charged her with driving while under the influence, leaving the scene of an accident and failure to grant right of way to another vehicle. Darien police gave this further account, including accusations not proven in court:

At 9:01 p.m. on Friday, July 2, police were called to the scene and were told that one of the vehicles had driven away. A description of the vehicle was given, and an officer in the area found it, stopping the driver, Lisbeth Hernandez of Wardwell Street in Stamford.

Public Safety

Police: DUI for Darien Woman, 51, After She Struck a Parked Car

By David Gurliacci | July 8, 2021

A 51-year-old Darien woman driving on West Elm Street struck a parked car shortly before 9:30 p.m., Thursday, July 1, police said. She was later charged with driving while under the influence. Darien police gave this account of what happened, including accusations not proven in court:

When police spoke to the woman, a resident of Avalon Darien on Hollow Tree Ridge Road, an officer could smell alcohol coming from her. She told police she had been drinking. She refused to participate in any standardized sobriety tests at the scene, and police decided to take her into custody on the driving under the influence charge.

Darien DUI 2021

Police: DUI Charge After Darien Man, 18, Looks at Phone, Drives Into Marsh at Gorham’s Pond

By David Gurliacci | June 29, 2021

An 18-year-old Darien man who had been drinking alcohol and taking pot before driving on Sunswyck Road was looking down at his phone when his vehicle went across Goodwives River Road into a marsh, police said. He wound up at the edge of Gorham’s Pond, police said. In their announcement police didn’t say he was injured in any way. Police gave this account of what happened, including accusations not proven in court:

The teenager, a Revere Road resident, was found standing with the vehicle (police didn’t say what kind of vehicle) when police arrived, after an 11:23 p.m. call on Wednesday, June 23. The man said he looked down while using his cell phone (police didn’t say exactly what he was doing on the phone).

Public Safety

Police: DUI Charge for Man, 36, After His Vehicle Strikes a Parked Car

By David Gurliacci | June 2, 2021

It’s not good for you when a police officer sees you driving erratically downtown. It’s worse when the officer sees you driving with a flat right front tire. It gets even worse when the officer sees your vehicle hit a parked car. And you’re truly in a difficult spot when the officer smells alcohol on your breath. All that is what a police officer reported seeing on the Post Road near Center Street at 10:28 p.m., Monday, May 24.