DUIs in Darien: Three Separate Cases

After Darien police were called to Spring Grove Street at about 10 p.m. Sunday on a report of a suspicious motor vehicle, they said they found a Stamford man in a parked car not to far away, matching the vehicle description.

Darien Police Capt. Frederick W. Komm gave this account of the incident:

Inside the 1997 Dodge Neon, parked on the roadside at Jackson Place—a block east of Spring Grove Street—was Michael Arnow, 26, of 148 Rollingwood Dr., Stamford. Although an area resident told police there seemed to be other people in the car, only Arnow was there when police arrived.

Arnow could not give an adequate explanation of why he was parked there, and he was given a field sobriety test. His blood-alcohol level was taken twice, and the lowest reading was 0.3—almost four times the legal limit of 0.08. Blood-alcohol content of 0.1 or so is typical in cases where Darien police determine someone is driving while under the influence, according to Komm.

Arnow was arrested on a charge of driving while under the influence and released on $250 bond. He is scheduled to appear Dec. 22 in state Superior Court in Stamford

Stamford police lieutenant a witness in DWI case against Stamford man

Darien police were helped by an off-duty Stamford police lieutenant who pointed out to them a Stamford man who was then arrested on an accusation he was driving while under the influence when he hit two cars in a parking lot.

Komm gave this account of the incident:

At about 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Michael McKinney, 35, of 136 Soundview Ct., was driving a 2006 Mercedes CL3 the wrong way on Center Street Extension when he struck a parked 2004 Chevrolet pickup truck.

McKinney then tried to turn around and backed into another vehicle—this time a 2010 Honda.

Police were called to the scene on a report of an erratic driver striking parked vehicles with his car. When they arrived, the off-duty Stamford police lieutenant identified McKinney as the driver.

McKinney failed a field sobriety test and was charged with driving while under the influence, driving the wrong way down a one-way street and failure to carry a drivers license.

His bond was initially set at $250 by police, but that was later reduced to a promise to appear in court by a bail commissioner. He is now scheduled to appear Dec. 19 in state Superior Court in Stamford.

Accident and DUI arrest

A motor vehicle accident at the entrance to on Thursday led to the arrest of a New Canaan woman on a charge that she was driving under the influence.

Komm gave this account of the incident:

At about 6:22 p.m., a Darien woman driving a 2004 GMC SUV turned into the school driveway from Mansfield Ave. when the car behind her, which also was travelling northbound, hit her car from behind.

A police officer who spoke with the driver, Kim Barker, 53, of 56 White Oak Shade Lane, smelled alcohol on her breath. Barker then failed a field sobriety test.

Barker was charged with driving while under the influence and following too closely. She was released on $150 bond and was scheduled to appear Dec. 19 in state Superior Court in Stamford.