MONROE, CT — Police officers responding to a robbery in progress at Benedict’s Home & Garden, 480 Purdy Hill Road, Sunday morning met with four employees who detained the suspect — on the ground with his hands taped behind his back.
At approximately 11:25 a.m., Thomas Irish III, 45, of Norwalk, allegedly used a wire cutter to cut a metal wire on a display post inside the store, then grabbed two Husqvarna chainsaws, valued at $760 and $1,190.
When he ran outside, four employees who load sacks of fertilizer in the trunks of customers’ cars, saw and confronted him, police said.
Irish allegedly swung the saws at the employees, hitting one before they overpowered him and taped his hands behind his back. Officers handcuffed Irish, then removed the tape.
He was evaluated by Monroe Volunteer Emergency Medical Service personnel, then charged with breach of peace in the second degree, illegal possession of a shoplifting device, three counts of threatening in the first degree, reckless endangerment in the first degree, assault in the second degree, fourth-degree larceny and first-degree robbery.
He was held on $100,000 bond and taken to court Tuesday morning.
Through their investigation, officers determined there was a female accomplice, though she denied any involvement.
Marleni Betances, 37, of Bridgeport, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, conspiracy to commit fourth-degree larceny and conspiracy to commit robbery in the first degree. She was held on $15,000 bond and taken to court in Bridgeport Tuesday.
A fugitive from justice
Monroe police officers assisted members of the U.S. Marshall’s Violent Crime Task Force in serving an extraditable warrant for a fugitive sought by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office in Florida last Friday afternoon.
At approximately 4:46 p.m., Katie-Lynn Philbrick, 25, who was staying at a residence on Pachaug Trail in Monroe, was taken into custody without incident and charged with being a fugitive from justice, according to police. She was held on $500,000 bond.
The Florida warrant included seven counts of violation of the general statute entitled, Directing/Promoting Sexual Performance by a Child, which is a class 2 felony in Florida.
Police said Philbrick was taken to court in Bridgeport and will ultimately be extradited to Florida.
‘One Corona’
A 26-year-old Danbury man, who allegedly fled the scene of an accident, reportedly told officers at a traffic stop he had one Corona at a friend’s house earlier that Saturday. But breath tests showed his blood alcohol level was approximately three times the legal limit, according to police.
He was charged with DUI, evading responsibility and driving without a license, then released after posting seven percent of his $1,000 bond for an Oct. 28 court date.
Earlier that day, at around 5:49 p.m., a 67-year-old Shelton man told officers he was driving north on Main Street in his 2024 Cadillac Escalade, just south of Purdy Hill Road, when he was stopped in traffic.
That’s when the Danbury man, who was driving behind the Cadillac, allegedly struck it from behind with his silver 2011 Jeep Liberty.
The Shelton man told officers he and the other driver agreed to move to a nearby parking lot to assess the damage, when the driver of the Jeep Liberty took off.
An officer later found the fleeing Jeep Liberty on Old Newtown Road and initiated a traffic stop near Purdy Hill Road, police said.
Police said front end damage on the vehicle was consistent with the fender bender, but the driver denied having been in an accident.
The driver of the Escalade positively identified the other driver and his Jeep Liberty.
While speaking with the Danbury man, police said officers detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath and noticed his eyes were bloodshot and his eyelids were droopy.
He initially denied having anything to drink, before admitting to having one Corona at a friend’s house earlier. Police said his performance on field sobriety tests were not to standard, leading to his arrest.
Neither driver was injured in the accident, according to the report.
Nissan vs. a utility pole
A 22-year-old Columbia, S.C., woman was issued an infraction for driving too fast for conditions after crashing her 2003 Nissan Frontier into a utility pole on Hattertown Road during a heavy rainstorm Monday night.
At approximately 8:40 p.m., police said she was heading north when her vehicle slipped off the roadway in the 200-block.
The Nissan struck a utility pole, before sliding backwards into the wood line, police said, adding it was towed due to disabling damage.
The driver reportedly told officers she was not injured and declined medical attention.
Driver hospitalized
A 79-year-old Monroe woman was taken to St. Vincent’s Medical Center for treatment of possible injuries after crashing into a large rock off Purdy Hill Road with her 2003 Ford Focus Monday afternoon.
At approximately 4:09 p.m., police said the woman was heading east on Purdy Hill amid a rainstorm when the vehicle crossed over the east bound fog line, just east of Partridge Drive, and struck the curb with its passenger side tire.
Police said the Ford left the roadway to the right, continued onto a residential property in the 400-block and struck a large rock.
The woman was issued an infraction for driving too fast for conditions and her car was towed due to disabling damage.
Police recover stolen vehicles
Two vehicles reported stolen from residents on Lazy Brook Road last week have since been recovered by police.
On Friday night, a Volkswagen Tiguan was recovered in Hamden. Other than busted tires, police said it was in good condition.
Then on Monday the other vehicle, a Lincoln MKC, was recovered on School Street in Hartford with one of the two license plates missing, according to the report.
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