WFSB - Eyewitness News

Woman severely injured after getting stuck in compactorNEW LONDON, CT (WFSB) – A woman was seriously injured after being crushed in a compactor in New London Wednesday afternoon. Police were called to NSA Supermarket on South Frontage Road around 3:19 p.m. When officers arrived on scene, a woman was found inside a commercial compactor. Officials said it was apparent the woman has been inside the compactor during its operator for a period of time. The woman was severely injured and brought to L&M Hospital for care. Police said the woman was not a store employee, but did not elaborate on what she was doing inside of the store. The incident remains under investigation.
Man taken into custody after barricading himself inside New Haven homeNEW HAVEN, CT (WFSB) -- SWAT members stormed a New Haven home on Wednesday afternoon and took one person into custody on a federal gun charge. Crews surrounded the home on West Hazel Street, around 2:45 p.m. on Wednesday. Investigators said they spotted a man sitting on the front porch of the home who they identified as having outstanding warrant. Police said the man ducked inside the house and barricaded himself inside. As police swarmed the home, the man’s relatives made sure the situation ended peacefully. The suspect’s family members said the man was not armed, and was not trying to hurt anyone. Eventually, they convinced him to come out. That’s when he was taken into custody. The man has not yet been identified. After police took the suspect into custody they did search the home for weapons, although the homeowner says there were no guns inside the house. Investigators did block off West Hazel Street near the intersection of Sherman Parkway during the incident, but the scene has since cleared.
Hundreds of tips, dozens of surveillance videos, still no sign of Jennifer DulosHARTFORD, CT (WFSB) -- Police have received over 800 tips and 80 surveillance videos, but still no sign of Jennifer Farber Dulos. It’s been 26 days since the 50-year-old New Canaan mother was last seen, and police continue to actively search spots for clues leading them to answers about her disappearance. <a href="https://www.wfsb.com/news/timeline-events-surrounding-new-canaan-mom-s-disappearance/article_81bb741a-8613-11e9-b806-bf0cff043a93.html" target="_blank">TIMELINE: Events surrounding New Canaan mom's disappearance</a> On Wednesday, New Canaan police said state troopers continue to search the MIRA (Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority) trash plant in Hartford, for evidence related to the disappearance of Jennifer. They said as many as 25 to 30 investigators are working the case on a daily basis, however they’ve been tight-lipped about what they’ve found, if anything. Sources say <a href="https://www.wfsb.com/news/search-of-hartford-trash-plant-in-missing-mom-case-hits/article_28690166-9202-11e9-9364-87793333da82.html" target="_blank">police are looking for her remains</a>. Jennifer Dulos went missing on May 24. New Canaan police said it appears there was a brutal attack inside her home. Jennifer’s estranged husband Fotis Dulos <a href="https://www.wfsb.com/news/estranged-husband-s-defense-team-developing-own-evidence-in-missing/article_8b817e40-9130-11e9-968f-af96cde3432d.html" target="_blank">was released one week ago</a> from police custody. He faces tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution charges alongside girlfriend Michelle Troconis. <a href="https://www.wfsb.com/arrest-warrant-for-fotis-dulos-michelle-troconis/pdf_a607224a-8629-11e9-9ba0-f76720b4a166.html" target="_blank">An arrest warrant for Fotis Dulos and Troconis</a>, detailed how the couple allegedly dumped trash bags in more than 30 dumpsters throughout Hartford. Those bags were picked up and brought to the MIRA trash facility. Police said they found a kitchen sponge and Jennifer's blood in a dumpster. The search has spanned from New Canaan, to Pound Ridge, NY, to Farmington, Hartford and Avon. When she went missing, Fotis and Jennifer had been in the middle of a bitter divorce and custody battle. The attorney representing Fotis Dulos, Norm Pattis, said his client and Troconis <a href="https://www.wfsb.com/interview-attorney-norm-pattis-answers-questions-about-dulos-case/video_c9f22a73-5d5e-515e-b0f6-91208c7841cc.html" target="_blank">both have alibis for the day Jennifer went missing</a>. In court last week, the state said Fotis' DNA was found mixed with Jennifer's blood on the kitchen sink of her New Canaan home. Pattis said his team is building their own case. Last week, Fotis Dulos' attorneys filed a motion for his seized property to be returned, specifically a Ford Raptor truck, a Chevrolet Suburban, a Cherokee, a server, Mac book Pro 15 inch computer, other computers, two iPhones, hard drive, two external hard drives, and personal papers. Documents say “The property is not contraband, the defendant needs access to it for practical reasons and in order to mount his defense, due to the exculpatory information available from the seized property, the defendant would stipulate to the use of secondary evidence in this case.” Jennifer Dulos added to National Missing and Unidentified Persons System Now, nearly one month since her disappearance, the 50-year-old mother of five has been added to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUS). “NamUS was developed by the National Institute of Justice to be the national repository for missing, unidentified for unclaimed persons,” said Todd Matthews, of NamUS. Now that she’s been added to the database, Matthews said this can assist law enforcement in its searches. “So what we do is provide forensic resources for dental records, DNA, fingerprints, we have an analytical unit and a victims services unit,” Matthews said. Dulos is one of more than 200 Connecticut residents currently listed. There are more than 16,000 people listed as missing in the entire country on the Clearing House and Resource Center’s website. “Usually we hear from law enforcement or the families and just because you’re going into NamUS, it doesn’t mean a missing person is deceased. We want to do everything we can to prepare for the worst and hope for the best,” Matthews said. For more information on NamUS, <a href="https://www.namus.gov/" target="_blank">click here</a>. Anyone with information about Jennifer Dulos' disappearance is asked to contact New Canaan police at 203-594-3544. Police also created a website about the case, which can be found <a href="https://findjenniferdulos.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.
Wethersfield mom says trains are derailing nap times for kidsWETHERSFIELD, CT (WFSB) -- Freight trains are rolling again in Wethersfield, but not everyone is on board with the sound of the horns. One mom posted on Facebook to say the noise is derailing nap times for her children, and others chimed in saying it concerns them too. Jenn Downey insists she’s not against the trains, as they live about a quarter mile down the track. However, it’s when the trains air-horn blasts for the grade crossing, it wakes her little ones. “My biggest thing was the schedule with having children, young children who require naps during the day, and are in bed between 7 and 7:30 p.m.,” Downey said. The rail line butts up to her backyard, some 300 feet away. The freight service, which stopped 10 years ago, resumed this month, but its the horn blast interruptions that are disturbing. After Downey posted about it on Facebook, she found that others in the area were complaining about the same thing. “We weren’t really worried about it. It wasn’t something we thought that all of a sudden after a decade they would start running a train again,” Downey said. In a statement, Connecticut Southern Spokesperson Mike Williams said, “operations of short freight railroads, such as the Connecticut Southern, are dictated by the service needs of their customers and by access to the large national railroads with which they interchange freight, both of which are subject to constant change.” He added that at least two trains per day run on the Wethersfield tracks at 10mph. As far as the regulations go, it’s not up to the town but the Federal Rail Administration and CT Dept. of Transportation. “I’m not against the train, I just think it’s unacceptable and irresponsible of a company not to have a schedule for when they’re going to be running,” Downey said.
Hamden searches for next police chief amid officer-involved shooting investigationHAMDEN, CT (WFSB) - Stakeholders in Hamden will make their voices heard as the town searches for its next police chief. A meeting is set for Wednesday night. The search comes as an investigation into an officer-involved shooting that sparked outrage continues. Last month, Hamden's legislative council said it approved the hiring of a third party to ensure investigations and actions within the police department are fair, just and transparent. The Police Chief Community Input &amp; Transparency Committee was formed in the wake of the shooting, which happened back in April in New Haven. Hamden officer Devin Eaton was seen on <a href="https://www.wfsb.com/news/body-cam-footage-shows-some-of-officer-involved-shooting/article_962d3324-65b2-11e9-af5d-df513a94d85f.html" target="_blank">surveillance camera and body camera footage</a> firing on a red Honda Civic that police said he believed was involved in an armed robbery. No weapon was found. Passenger Stephanie Washington was hurt and hospitalized, police said. Driver Paul Witherspoon escaped injury. The incident fueled protests and strained the relationship between law enforcement and the community. Wednesday night's meeting will be the first of three where residents will explain what qualities they want in their new chief of police and create criteria to guarantee a diverse pool of candidates. The committee includes pastors, a former mayor and activist group members. They said they will: Gather input from residents through meaningful dialogue.Recommend changes to the job description for police chief based on those talks.Research best practices for recruitment and proactively seek a diverse group of candidates.Participate in the interview process and make recommendations. The meeting is set for 6 p.m. at the Keefe Community Center gymnasium.
Man sentenced for heroin and gun swap with undercover agentNEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — A Connecticut man has been sentenced to almost three years in prison after swapping heroin for guns with an undercover federal agent. Federal authorities say 39-year old Patrick Rogers expressed an interest in accessing firearms during a recorded meeting where an agent bought heroin from him. Authorities later arranged a deal to swap two guns with Rogers in exchange for 160 bags of heroin. Rogers, whose last known address is in Waterbury, was on probation when he was arrested. His previous drug convictions bar him from possessing guns. Rogers' attorney sought a more lenient sentence arguing her client had entered crime at a young age and served as a lookout for neighborhood drug dealers. She said Rogers couldn't find permanent work after he was released from prison in 2017.
Body found in Connecticut River in GlastonburyGLASTONBURY, CT (WFSB) - A body was found in the Connecticut River in Glastonbury, according to environmental officials. The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said the body has yet to be identified. It's not yet known of it's the same person officials had been searching for over the weekend. Ivan De Jesus Morales Mencia <a href="https://www.wfsb.com/news/crews-call-off-search-identify-victim-in-drowning-on-ct/article_9a6510f0-8fb1-11e9-a5ab-271cd0cbd446.html" target="_blank">went overboard while riding in a boat</a> on the Connecticut River in East Hartford. Crews, including dive teams, <a href="https://www.wfsb.com/news/search-for-missing-boater-in-connecticut-river-continues-on-monday/article_3b94bc34-90e1-11e9-b866-9bb99ca49cce.html" target="_blank">scoured the river near Great River Park for several days</a> but couldn't find him. They said fast-moving water and debris made the search difficult. Experts said that in water conditions such as those on Saturday, hypothermia would not take long to set in. DEEP said the water temperature was about 60 degrees at the time Mencia disappeared. It said when hypothermia sets in, a person quickly loses muscle function which could lead to drowning. Friends who were on the boat with Mencia said he went into the water while the boat was moving. Officials say the operator tried rescuing him by throwing a floatation device several times but was unsuccessful. They also said he was not wearing a life jacket. Channel 3 learned that Mencia was a father of three children.
Governor, lawmakers meet over transportation, tollsHARTFORD, CT (WFSB) - The governor met with a bipartisan group of legislative leaders to discuss transportation and tolls on Wednesday. While Gov. Ned Lamont met with other lawmakers, nobody is calling it progress. The meeting lasted two hours, with numerous slides and presentations, but still no agreement. Leaders from all four caucuses discussed efforts to modernize the state's transportation system. The first part of the meeting was open to the public, but Lamont said the rest of it took place behind closed doors. Transportation was not involved in a <a href="https://www.wfsb.com/news/lamont-lawmakers-agree-on-state-budget/article_fd0fff16-830a-11e9-9368-f73b0835e348.html" target="_blank">2-year $40 billion budget proposal</a> that was approved by both the state House of Representatives and the state Senate. The discussion was tabled for a special legislative session. Lamont has been receiving pushback for his transportation proposal, which includes adding tolls to state highways. After Wednesday's meeting, a new offer may be on the table to make tolls more palatable. Lamont said he is willing to give middle class families a reduction in their income taxes. "What I am talking about is getting a transportation bill passed and we got to be able to pay for it and I have a lot of people in their building who don't like to make tough decisions, certainly don't like to pay their bills. They like to borrow and pass it off to the next generation," Lamont said. He added that without a plan, Connecticut faces a $1 billion deficit in 10 years, and the federal government could penalize the state if it doesn't fix roads and bridges. "What we are looking at coming in does not meet the need at a state of good repair that we need to maintain with the federal government," said Dept of Transportation Commissioner Joe Guilietti. Lamont's presentation showed bridge-only tolling is not adequate, and neither is funding from the car sales tax, and more borrowing. Those against tolls stood outside the meeting. "I think there are other alternatives and its starts with spending cuts. Someone has to look at the budget we have now," said Catherine Embriano, of No Tolls CT. Spending cuts would have to be pretty severe to maintain and improve the state's transportation system. Knowing tolls are an uphill battle, Lamont is looking at reducing the state income tax for middle-class families earning under $125,000, EZ Pass discounts for CT users, and $1 bus fares. Republicans said they're not sure they like any of these ideas and want more time. "They just threw a lot of numbers quickly, very quickly, very fast and for us to catch on, and start asking 'where are you, will you support tolls,' can we digest the numbers just a little bit," Republican State Senator Len Fasano. No future date was set, although the governor said he would like to meet with leaders again. The plan is to have a special session to vote on tolls, but no date has been set for that either.
Celebrity pro-am at Travelers Championship lets fans see favorites up closeCROMWELL, CT (WFSB) - Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to head to Cromwell this week for this year's Travelers Championship golf tournament. Several events were held on Wednesday, including the annual celebrity pro-am. It may be considered one of the more relaxed days of the PGA Tour event, but organizers would argue it's no less exciting. See more photos from the Travelers Championship <a href="https://www.wfsb.com/news/photos-a-look-at-the-travelers-championship/collection_111d7078-92b1-11e9-8f55-b7267e47c330.html" target="_blank">here</a>. The field this year featured former University of Connecticut and NBA basketball star Ray Allen, ESPN personality Chris Berman, NHL player Nick Bonino, comedian George Lopez and others. See the official pairings <a href="https://www.wfsb.com/news/travelers-championship-celebrity-pro-am/pdf_b0b930ee-927b-11e9-9a23-e31a260a0ad1.html" target="_blank">here</a>. The event teed off at 6:50 a.m. at the TPC River Highlands in Cromwell. Comedian George Lopez and a few others started off at the first tee taking a photo and enjoyed some Bear's Barbecue brisket. Also, you'd think there would be some rivalry when a former New York Yankee Mark Teixeira and former Red Sox player Tim Wakefield get together, but that wasn't the case. "Tim and I have gotten to know each other over the past few years and played against him in my entire career which was a lot of fun. Always loved facing that knuckleball but we gotten to be good friends so it's going to be fun," Teixeira said. A lot of former UConn players and coaches also joined in the fun on Wednesday. "The game is alright. Some good rounds, some bad. But you practice. You get what you put into it," said Ray Allen, a former UConn and NBA basketball player. Many say it's always a great day to meet so many fans. "The people come and they just want to have a good time. If they're looking for great golf, it's why we have one pro with us," said Chris Berman, of ESPN. Former Travelers Championship winner Bubba Watson also showed up, teeing off in the morning and then cheering on his wife who was part of the Pro-Am. "This is so much more than a golf tournament for me because of my Dad. My dad passing away right after I won here, got to see me win here in 2010. So it's a blast and honor to get back here every year," Watson said. Official tournament play gets underway on Thursday morning. Keep tabs on everything happening at the Travelers Championship in Channel 3's special website section <a href="https://www.wfsb.com/sports/travelers_hole_by_hole/" target="_blank">here</a>. Follow along with tournament play on the PGA website <a href="https://www.pgatour.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.
Connecticut man pleads guilty in fatal drug overdoseWATERBURY, Conn. (AP) — A Connecticut man has pleaded guilty to one charge of selling heroin to a woman who later died from an overdose. Waterbury resident Rashad Johnson could face up to the maximum sentence of 20 years in prison after he sold heroin to the 45-year-old woman who overdosed in 2016. The arrest comes from a statewide investigation targeting drug dealers who sell opioids that cause death or serious injury to the user. After analyzing the victim's cellphone and finding a connection between the 27-year-old Johnson and the woman, officers later conducted controlled purchases from Johnson and arrested him on federal criminal complaint Jan. 11. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 9 by U.S. District Judge Vanessa Bryant.