Newtown Man Allegedly Threatens to Kill Restaurant Owner; Kicks in Police Cruiser Window

Editor’s Note: We first ran this story on May 11 but ICYMI this incident took place on Mother’s Day, a weekend that turned out to be a busy one for the Newtown Police Department. 

By REBECCA CARNES (Open Post)

A man was arrested on Sunday after he allegedly pulled out what appeared to be two guns in the parking lot of the King’s Restaurant in town, asking the restaurant owner if he “wanted to die?” while pointing the guns at his face.

The suspect, Collins Verstegen, who lives next door to the restaurant, then barricaded himself into a nearby house as police were called.

Newtown police responded to the restaurant at 271 South Main Street at about 4 p.m. and set up a perimeter around the restaurant, escorted restaurant staff and customers to safety, and closed down the Route 25 for about 20 minutes to handle the situation.

Several minutes after police arrived, Verstegen ran out the backdoor of the house unarmed and was tackled by police as he reached an embankment. Upon later investigation, the guns turned out to be pellet guns.

According to police, Verstegen, whose uncle lives on the other side of King’s Restaurant, became upset when the restaurant owner refused to give him a hug after thanking his uncle for offering some parking spaces on his property during a busy Mother’s Day at the restaurant.

After being taken into custody and put into the police cruiser, Verstegen became belligerent with Officer Michael McGowan who was driving the police car. He began banging his head against the front seat, swearing at McGowan, and then leaned over (although handcuffed), unlatched his seat belt and kicked in the window of the police cruiser, according to Newtown Police Sgt. Aaron Bahamonde. Damage to the window and frame totaled $1,500, he said.

Bahamonde, who was following McGowan, pulled over to assist with Verstegen. An ambulance was called and Verstegen was taken away on a stretcher for trying to hurt himself. After returning to the police station from the hospital, Verstegen then refused to be fingerprinted and pretended to have seizures, which sent him back to the hospital, Bahamonde said, adding that Verstegen was intoxicated.

“It’s difficult because we’re not dealing with reasonable individuals,” Bahamonde said of this arrest and others which involve persons who are drunk or on drugs. “They are not thinking clearly and it makes our job more difficult because we need to keep them safe while in our custody.”

Because the vehicle was one of three older Newtown police vehicles, it did not have a partition in the middle of the back seat, which allowed Verstegen to lean over and unbuckle his seatbelt even though he was handcuffed. Seven newer Newtown police cars have a partition in the back seat and bars that go across the back passenger windows to prevent someone in custody from kicking out the window.

Verstegen, 52, was arrested and charged with first-degree threatening, second degree reckless endangerment , criminal mischief and breach of peace. He was held on a $10,000 appearance bond and was given a May 11 court date in Danbury.

Photo Caption: The Newtown Police cruiser which Verstegen kicked while being transported, has a broken right rear window and broken frame with damages totaling $1,500.

Photo Credits: Rebecca Carnes

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