Police Blotter - Stratford

On April 2, police responded to Stop & Shop Pharmacy on East Main Street on a report of a suspicious prescription. Upon arrival, police spoke to the suspected party, Joshua Bayer, 35, of New Haven, who told police that he has a bad back and was just at the doctor’s and received a prescription for Oxycodone. Police spoke to the pharmacist who said that he believed the prescription was illegally obtained and who had called the doctor on the script, who denied writing the prescription. The doctor also confirmed that Bayer was not a patient of the hospital where the script had been allegedly written.  When confronted with that information, Bayer told police that he purchased the prescription by “some guy” he didn’t know. He told police that he had gone to a Walgreen’s in New Haven but was told they had run out of Oxycodone, so he decided to come to the Stratford Stop & Shop. Based on the police investigation, Bayer was charged with obtaining a prescription by fraud and forging a controlled drug prescription.  Bond was set at $5,000 and Bayer was held pending an April 13 court date. 

On April 2, a police officer on routine patrol was traveling north on Cutspring Road when a blue SUV coming from the opposite direction crossed over into ongoing traffic, causing the officer to slam on his brakes to avoid a collision. The officer turned his cruiser around and stopped the vehicle, driven by David Berelian, 38, of Kings Row. Police reported that in speaking with Berelian, “he seemed very agitated and defensive in answering my questions.” Berelian told police that he was late, and was charged with reckless driving and released on a promise to appear in court on April 18. 

On April 3, police were running plates when a car with no front license plate was observed traveling east on Barnum Avenue. The driver, Melissa Smith, 40, of Derby, could not provide police with any valid paperwork for the vehicle and was charged with no insurance and operating an unregistered motor vehicle and released on a promise to appear in court on April 19. 

On April 3, police were running plates when a green pickup was observed with no front plate. The pickup was stopped on North Avenue and the operator, James Russell, 43, of Milford showed police expired registration paperwork and a valid insurance card. Police determined that the vehicle was a road hazard and it was towed. Russell was charged with operating without registration, no front plate and an emissions violation. He was released on a promise to appear in court on April 15.