Fugitive Arrested In Distracted Driving Campaign: Wallingford PD

WALLINGFORD, CT — The Wallingford Police Department issued more than 220 infractions and arrested one fugitive during its recent campaign against distracted driving.

The campaign, which was held during the month of April as part of the state Connecticut Department of Transportation’s Spring Wave, included increased enforcement of cell phone and distracted driving violations.

“Funding for this effort was made available by the police department’s participation in a State of Connecticut Department of Transportation Highway Safety Distracted Driving Grant that supported the staffing necessary to allow officers to specifically dedicate our efforts on distracted driving enforcement in a continual endeavor to reduce injuries and fatalities resulting from traffic accidents,” Lt. Anthony DeMaio wrote in a news release.

The enforcement effort targeted the areas of East Main Street at Durham Road, Washington Street at Parker Street, Cook Hill Road at Tuttle Avenue, Ward Street at Valley Street, North Colony Road at Ives Road, North Colony Road at South Broad Street, and South Colony Road at Toelles Road, among others, according to DeMaio.

The following is a synopsis of the citations issued and arrests made during the distracted driving campaign:

Wallingford Police Officers stopped 324 motor vehicles and cited 224 operators for violations related to their cellular telephone use while operating a vehicle. Officers also cited or arrested individuals for:

• 7 Seat belt violations
• 7 Miscellaneous Drug Offenses
• 4 Operating a M/V w/a Suspended License
• 2 Speeding Offenses
• 1 Fugitive Apprehension
• 32 Miscellaneous motor vehicle offenses

Additionally, warnings were issued for a variety of motor vehicle related offenses, according to DeMaio.

“The Wallingford Police Department would like to remind motorists that according to NHTSA, in 2019, 3,142 people died in crashes involving a distracted driver nation-wide,” DeMaio wrote. “In Connecticut in 2019, there were more than 6,600 crashes involving distracted driving. Please put down your phone while operating a vehicle, a life may depend on it.”

No further information was immediately provided regarding the fugitive arrest.