South Windsor police: arrests made on drunk driving, forgery

The South Windsor Police Department made several arrests in the past week related to motorists driving under the influence of alcohol. On Saturday, Jan. 19, at about 2:30 a.m., police found a vehicle stopped in the roadway at Ellington Road and Beldon Road. The driver, a male, was passed out behind the wheel. Officers attempted to wake the man, and smelled alcohol. The man exhibited slurred speech and ignored the officer’s directions to shut off his car, instead trying to drive off.

Officers opened the door and attempted to remove the man from his car. He resisted. Officers deployed a Taser electronic control device and took him into custody. Officers arrested the man, Jamal Vick, age 28, of 44 Fernwood Road in Southwick, Mass. He was charged with Operating a Motor Vehicle Under the Influence of Alcohol, Failure to Drive in Proper Lane, Failure to a Wear Seatbelt, and Interfering with an Officer. Vick was later released by the bail commissioner on a written promise to appear. He is scheduled to appear at Manchester Superior Court on Feb. 1.

On Tuesday, Jan. 22, around 5:30 p.m., police responded to an accident on Ellington Road at Governors Highway, where a motorist had run a red light through the intersection and struck another vehicle. A passenger in the vehicle that was hit was taken to Manchester Memorial Hospital because of pain in the knee. After a series of sobriety tests, officers determined that the driver, Paul Hogan, age 50, of 1802 Mill Pond Drive in South Windsor, was under the influence of alcohol. He was arrested and charged with Operating a Motor Vehicle while Under the Influence of Alcohol and Failure to Obey Control Signal.  Hogan was released on a $1,200 non-surety bond and is scheduled to appear at Manchester Superior Court on Feb. 4.

Also on Tuesday, police were alerted to a possible drunk driver when a concerned motorist called and said the car in front of them was traveling without its lights on, and that it had drifted out of the travel lane. Officers stopped the car and interviewed the driver. Suspecting that she was under the influence of alcohol, officers had her complete sobriety tests. Following the tests, the driver, Claire Bialek, age 32, of 603 Twin Circle Drive, in South Windsor, was arrested. She was charged with Operating a Motor Vehicle while Under the Influence of Alcohol, Failure to Drive in Proper Lane, Failure to Have Lights Lit, and Failure to Have Tail Lamps.  She was later released on a non-surety bond and is scheduled to appear at Manchester Superior Court on Feb. 4.

South Windsor police made an arrest for larceny and forgery on Tuesday, Jan. 22. Janice Terrell, age 33, of 174 Ashley St., in Hartford, was arrested on a warrant. She was charged with Larceny in the Sixth degree and Forgery in the Second degree. Terrell was later released on non-surety bond and is scheduled to appear at Manchester Superior Court on Jan. 31. Her charge stems from a December 2012 fraudulent check investigation.  Investigators determined that she had cashed a forged check for $495, and later obtained a warrant for her.