Weapons Found In Car During Arrest In New Canaan: Police

NEW CANAAN, CT — Three men and two juveniles were arrested early Monday morning after officers found guns, ammunition and stolen items inside cars they were driving in New Canaan.

According to an arrest summary provided by police, an officer on patrol spotted a Honda CRV driving fast on New Norwalk Road around 3 a.m. with a Jeep Wrangler following close behind at an unsafe distance.

The officer followed the two cars as they turned onto East Avenue, then onto Raymond Street. After pulling onto the dead end road, two people exited the Jeep and ran behind a home, police said.

Officers located one of the Jeep's occupants, Richard Warthen, 21, of Bronx, N.Y., hiding behind a tree. The second person was not identified or located, police said.

The driver of the Honda, Peter Nicholas Berridge, 20, of Norwalk, was found inside the car with passenger Jermaine James Joseph, 19, of Norwalk, and two male juvenile passengers, according to police.

While searching the Honda, officers found a tan H&K airsoft gun, a fully loaded 9mm Taures handgun with a laser sight attached and a bag of additional 9mm rounds, police said.

All three men were arrested. The two juveniles, a 17-year-old Norwalk resident and a 16-year-old Bridgeport resident, were issued juvenile summons for possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle and released to their parents.

During his arrest, police discovered Warthen had an active warrant for his arrest. He was also found to have two stolen checks and a key fob for a Volkswagen in his possession, which he admitted to stealing from vehicles in Norwalk, police said.

Warthen was charged with first-degree failure to appear and sixth-degree larceny.

Joseph was charged with criminal possession of a firearm/ammunition/defense weapon, risk of injury to a child and illegal possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle. He was held on a $20,000 bond.

Berridge was charged with risk of injury to a child and illegal possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle. He was held on a $20,000 bond.