Originally posted by Harold F. Cobin , September 08, 2011 at 12:04 PM
Editor's note: This article originally was republished Jan. 14, 2014 in order to remove a name of a man after charges against him were dismissed in court (see "DWI checkpoint yields second arrest" below).
Police: wrong-way driver was drunk
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A 28-year-old Stamford resident was arrested early Monday morning after a police officer spotted him driving westbound on the Post Road in the eastbound lanes, police said.
The officer reported he also drove through two red lights before he stopped him near Hecker Avenue.
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Santiago Molina-Salazar allegedly failed a field sobriety test and was taken into custody.
Molina-Salazar was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, failing to obey a red light, and operating a motor vehicle without a license.
He was released after posting a $250 bond.
Golf equipment stolen from resident's garage
Two bags of golf clubs were reported stolen Saturday from the garage of a Nutmeg Lane home.
The homeowner said the bags were last seen on Aug. 28 and found to be missing last Saturday.
He said he left the garage doors unlocked because power was out to his house.
One bag and its contents were valued at $2,000; the other at $1,500.
Stamford man accused of drunken driving
A Stamford man was arrested early Saturday morning for allegedly driving while intoxicated.
Police said Joseph Polestra, 53, was stopped at a DWI checkpoint on East Main Street near Maple Street being conducted jointly by Darien and Stamford police.
Police said Polestra told them he had been drinking alcohol, and he failed a field sobriety test.
Polestra was charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs. He was released after posting a $250 bond and assigned a court date of Sept. 13.
DWI checkpoint yields second arrest
A Darien man was arrested early Saturday morning at the same DWI checkpoint after he allegedly drove out of a pattern of traffic cones meant to lead drivers to the where officers were questioning drivers.
Police said the Darien man, 58, appeared confused and unsteady. They said he failed a field sobriety test.
The driver was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. He was released after posting $250 bond and assigned a court date of Sept. 13.
[Editor's note on Jan. 8, 2014: In October 2013, charges were dismissed against this Darien man, so his name has been removed from this article.]
No front license plate leads to drug arrest
A Stamford resident was arrested Monday afternoon after a police officer said he observed his car wasn’t displaying a front license plate.
The officer said he drove behind the car, which turned into a parking lot of a shopping center near Kings Highway North where all the stores were closed.
When questioning the driver, the officer said Sal Scatarchio told him he was nervous because a police officer was driving behind him.
The department’s dog, Zulu, came to the scene and allegedly indicated the car contained narcotics. Police said a baggie in the center console contained 10 hydrocodone pills.
The on-line Wikipedia says hydrocodone is used as pain reliever and cough suppressant.
Scatarchio, 21, was charged with possession of narcotics. He was released after posting $250 bond and assigned a court date of Sept. 16.
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