Archive for the ‘Police Activity’ Category

Ambulance and Car Collide on Washington Street

July 29, 2012

Very Serious Crash Involving Ambulance and Auto Ties up Washington Street Sunday Afternoon

At approximately 2:30 PM Sunday July 31 an ambulance, believed to belonging to Hunter’s, and a small sedan collided on Washington Street at the intersection of Old Mill Road. The ambulance had overturned and the sedan suffered major damage.

Middletown Patch reports:

Three people, including two paramedics, sustained minor injuries in a crash involving an ambulance Sunday afternoon on a busy stretch of Washington Street.

The impact, at about 2:50 p.m., caused a Hunter’s Ambulance occupied by two men to flip on its side at the Gulf Gas station at 708 Washington Street, across from Wadsworth Glen Health Care.

Emergency workers had to cut through the front windshield of the ambulance and remove the Saturn Ion’s door to remove the male driver, who was taken to Hartford Hospital, according to Middletown Battalion Chief John Ricci.

“Both ambulance crew members were transported for precautionary measures only. Everybody was alert and conscious. The gentleman in the car did have to be extricated,” Ricci said.

Read more at Middletown Patch

Motorcycle and Car Collide – Washington & West St.

June 9, 2011

Officer Examines Motorcycle Wreckage

June 9, 2011; 4:00 PM. While it is not clear exactly  how this happened but it appears that a car Westbound on Washington St attempted to turn left onto West St and either struck or was struck by and oncoming motorcycle. The motorcycle was demolished and the operator was thrown to the pavement;  the car’s airbag deployed. Both drivers were taken from the scene by Hunter’s Ambulance whose quick arrival was due to the fact the ambulance station is near that intersection.

Update: Hartford Courant reports:

A 22-year-old Bristol man is in critical condition following a serious motorcycle accident on Washington Street, police said.

Lucas Espinosa was traveling east on Washington Street, Route 66, when his motorcycle collided head-on with a 1999 Pontiac Grand AM attempting to turn left onto West Street about 4 p.m., police said.

The driver of the car, Jeanette Mosier, 21, of Middletown, was taken to Middlesex Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. Police said she was later released…Espinosa was taken to Hartford Hospital. Police said they did not know if Espinosa was wearing a helmet at the time of the collision.”

Update June 11: Middletown Press is reporting today that Mr. Espinosa’s condition has been upgraded from critical to fair.

The Scene at Washington and West St - Middletown 4 PM June 9, 2011

 

 

 

 

 

Video from the scene. Credit: CLAIRE MICHALEWICZ Middletown Press

Chimp Story Has Legs: Now Sharpton Weighs In

February 19, 2009

She fed him filet mignon and lobster tails. They shared cozy glasses of wine. They bathed and slept together. He tenderly brushed her hair. She gave him gifts and sweet kisses. He drew her pictures…But this was no ordinary affair of the heart. Sandra Herold was engaging in these loving acts with a 200-pound pet ape.Her human friends said they were always leery of the interspecies intimacy.

We wrote a few days ago about the horrific chimp attack in Stamford CT in which a woman was nearly killed by an enraged pet chimpanzee. The story has gone viral; the NY Post has been running with it all week. This Sean Delonas NY Post cartoon yesterday brought publicity hound Al Sharpton and New York governor David Patterson into the fray:

NY Post, Sean Delonas

NY Post, Sean Delonas

Sharpton is quoted in Newsday saying the cartoon is “troubling at best” while Patterson meanwhile, having been briefed with a verbal description of the cartoon, said “Images of black people portrayed as primates do feed a kind of negative and stereotypical way that some people think.”

NY Post Editor Col Allan’s response: “The cartoon is a clear parody of a current news event, to wit, the shooting of a violent chimpanzee in Connecticut. It broadly mocks Washington’s efforts to revive the economy,” White House spokesman Robert Gibbs declined comment on the controversy saying he, like Gov Patterson, had not seen the cartoon but used the opportunity to diss the NY Post as unnewsworthy. Predictably, protests began (photo gallery); below New York state senator Eric Adams protests at the NY Post headquarters:

State Senator Eric Adams, Newsday Photo

State Senator Eric Adams, Newsday Photo

The chimpanzee attack and public response has revived the old stereotype of white folks thinking of black folks in simian terms. While there can be a racist aspect to such characterizations, it depends after all, on the context as is the case with the NY Post cartoon. The American Bush hating Left had no hesitation in depicting Geroge W. Bush as a chimp when they pleased: (the following appeared at Steady Habits, 5/19/08)

Bush Chimp vs Obama Chimp….

How come this is OK…..

…But this isn’t….

A bunch of people in Marietta, Georgia were protesting this one; it is a tee shirt sold by a bar owner who says he has no racist intent, merely thinks the resemblance between Obama and Curious George is humorous. I agree, the big ears, the big smile, uncanny! Look what “W” had to put up with going on 8 years. What do you think?

Video here, “how African-Americans have been deplicted
Funny video here where TV interviewer tries to get seller to admit he’s racist. It doesn’t work!

More about this at:

Wizbang, Doctor Bullldog & Ronin

Sandra Herold & Travis: A Happier time

Sandra Herold & Travis: A Happier time

Serenity Returns to Wes Campus….

May 18, 2008

Wesleyan U (CT

In the few days following the tumultuous events of last week (the police student confrontation*), peace has returned to the campus just in time for next weekend’s reunion and commencement celebrations. Following is a portion of the university’s announcement about the 176th Commencement. Senator Ted Kennedy was scheduled to be the speaker but his appearance remains doubtful because of recent health issues.

The 176th Commencement Ceremony (11 AM May 25)
The Commencement Ceremony will be available live by Webcast. Please go to http://wescast.wesleyan.edu for details about how you can view the ceremony.
A live broadcast of the Commencement ceremony will be available in the Memorial Chapel, Patricelli ’92 Theater, Crowell Concert Hall, and Tishler Lecture Hall (Room 150), Exley Sciene Center, rain or shine. The ceremony may also be viewed online. Please check this site for details the week of May 18, 2008.
In case of inclement weather, you may also call the main University number at 860/685-2000 to determine whether or not the University will institute the rain plan for the Commencement Ceremony.

*The student-police clash created great controversy and charges and counter charges are in the air and on the blogosphere. We reported on it on Right of Middle; Wesleying blog has been all over it; Ed McKeon at Cauterwaled weighed in; the student run Wesleyan Argus published a special edition, also see Hartford Courant and Middletown Press.

On April 6 last we reported on an incident involving several students and one Middletown police officer.

Finally, an historical note regarding Wesleyan town/gown, police/student relations: On May Day 1954 following a veterans parade on Washington Street there occurred a near riot on campus. Right of Middle reported (April 30, 2007):

….events of the previous Sunday (Loyalty Day) when some Wesleyan students clashed with police and VFW members during a parade through town and onto the campus. The disturbance garnered nationwide attention, with charges of subversion on campus….An informal band of students with musical instruments began to perform in front of the Delta Kappa Epsilon house. Other students with their instruments joined the band and they all marched on High St to Washington St where they turned around only to find themselves leading the VFW parade which had just come up Washington and turned onto High…..From this point forward confusion reigned. Police, in attempting to clear the streets for the marchers, were accused of undue roughness although it was evident that a number of students provoked the officers. At least one student, Terry Hatter, was taken into custody; other students refused to doff their hats when the flag passed and were rebuked by police.

The commotion continued onto Andrus Field, The Argus reported::

The police then began to disperse the students. the marchers who had been standing on the other side of the stret started to cross the steet, saying something about “un-peace” apparently in reference to the sign. By the time they had reached the other side the students had been herded into the house by the police. The bulk of the paraders had reached Andrus field by this time and were awaiting the start of the speeches. Several inquisitive students had gathered behind Denison Terrace to view the proceedings. It was this time that the German Swastika flag, a trophy brought to Wesleyan by a veteran paratrooper after the war, was seen hanging from a dormitory window. The flag had been brought to the dormitory from the Alpha Delta Phi house, where it had been hanging for about twenty minutes. The Alpha Delta had gotten the flag from students who had been dissuaded from hanging it at the Beta Theta Pi house. (The Argus from the period-pdf)

Ahh youth….Happy Spring and Best Wishes to all new grads,,,We return to serenity below….

College Row-Wesleyan CT

Steadyjohn photos