Police Reports: Narcotics, Vandalism and a DUI

The following information was supplied by the Monroe Police Department. No arrested person is guilty until so judged in a court of law.

DUI on Cutlers Farm

An officer arrested a Church Street man for DUI Tuesday after seeing his 2002 Oldsmobile Alero cross the double yellow line twice on Cutlers Farm Road, according to the police report.

Justin Gardner, 24, was charged with driving under the influence and failure to drive in the proper lane. He was released on $500 bond for a Feb. 21 court date.

After the traffic stop, police said the officer detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage on Gardner and that his eyes were glassy and his speech was slurred. Fifty milliliter bottles of Southern Comfort and Irish whisky were found inside his jacket, according to police.

Field sobriety tests determined Gardner was under the influence, leading to his arrest, police said.

Narcotics Arrest

On Feb. 10, a '98 Chevy pick up truck drove past the sand pile for Monroe residents at the Town Garage property on Purdy Hill Road, and instead backed up to the bottom of the pile near the building, an area which is marked with a "No Trespassing" sign, police said.

When an officer spoke to the driver, Matthew Cristino, 25, he learned that Cristino and his passenger, Andrew Pires, 25, are Shelton residents. Police said Cristino told the officer Pires had told him it was okay for them to take the sand for his commercial plowing business, because Pires used to work in Monroe.

The sand at the top of the driveway is only for Monroe residents and is not for commercial uses, police said, adding the men were also in a no trespassing area of the property. Both were issued tickets for simple trespass.

While talking to Cristino, police said the officer noticed that he seemed nervous. When asked if there were drugs or contraband in the vehicle, Cristino said no, according to the report.

However, police canine Liberty was brought in to do an air scent on the truck and "alerted on the vehicle," police said. A search by officers found a baggy containing a green leafy substance that field tested positive for marijuana in a dashboard compartment, a marijuana cigarette, a cigarette roller and two pipes containing marijuana residue, according to police.

Cristino of Grandison Place was also charged with possession of less-than-half-an-ounce of marijuana.

Vandalism Complaint

A Patmar Circle woman filed a vandalism complaint at 5:27 p.m. Monday after finding the picture window of her home had been broken.

Police said there was a three-eights of an inch in diameter hole in the center of the window with cracks running to the edge of the frame. Between the double panes, officers found what appeared to be a flatted led pellet, according to the report.

No estimate was given to replace the broken window.