Crime & Safety

Checkpoint Helps Police Make Six DUI Arrests

Four motorists stopped at the Post Road checkpoint and two others pulled over by police were charged with driving under the influence.

It was a busy weekend for drunk driving enforcement in Darien.

Between a first-ever checkpoint set up on Post Road and traffic stops elsewhere in town, six DUI arrests were made by the Darien Police Department in under eight hours. A seventh—the details of which were not immediately available—was carried out by Stamford police assisting at the checkpoint.

Below is the complete rundown of the arrests, based on information provided by Darien Police. All of the incidents occurred late Saturday night or Sunday morning, and unless otherwise noted, the charge issued was driving under the influence:

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Christina Beale, 29, of Norwalk was stopped around 11:50 p.m. by police at the Post Road checkpoint traveling eastbound in a 2000 Saab 9-3. She told officers she was coming from a party where she had consumed one drink, but police observed slurred speech, glassy eyes, and an odor of alcohol from Beale. After failing field sobriety tests, she was arrested and released on $250 bond pending a June 16 court date.

Claude Major, 45, of Stamford was stopped around 12:04 a.m. by police at the Post Road checkpoint traveling westbound in a 2002 Volvo S-60. He told police that he was coming home from a barbecue, where had consumed a few beers. Officers administered field sobriety tests, which Major failed. He was released on a promise to appear at a June 16 court date.

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Guadalupe Partida, 29, of Norwalk was charged with driving under the influence and failure to drive right after an officer saw her crossing the double yellow line four times traveling westbound on Tokeneke Road. When the officer stopped Partida's 2003 Ford Explorer around 2:19 a.m., Partida exhibited bloodshot eyes and other signs of intoxication. She signaled that she did not speak English well, but the officer spoke fluent Spanish and was able to administer field sobriety tests. When Partida failed, she was arrested and released on $1000 bond pending a June 16 court date. Police said her bond was unusually high owing to a 1998 arrest for entering the country illegally.

Jorge Gonzales, 47, of Stamford was stopped around 2:23 a.m by police at the Post Road checkpoint traveling westbound in a 2001 Honda Civic. He told police he was on his way home and that he had consumed a few drinks, prompting officers to conduct field sobriety tests. When Gonzales failed, he was arrested and released on $1000 bond pending a June 16 court date. Police said the unusually high bond was due to a prior DUI arrest in Port Chester, N.Y. from 2005.

Thomas Fawcett, 31, of Norwalk was stopped around 2:26 a.m. by police at the Post Road checkpoint traveling eastbound in a 2005 Volkswagen Jetta. When police asked Fawcett how he was doing, he reportedly responded, "Norwalk," raising the officers' suspicions. He told police he was coming home from work, but when he was administered field sobriety tests, Fawcett failed. He was arrested and released on $500 pending a June 16 court date.


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