'Belligerent' Men Arrested At Norwalk Wake For Wrong-Way Crash Victim

NORWALK, CT — The wake for a Westport woman, who was killed by a wrong-way driver on July 24, turned chaotic last week after police said two "highly intoxicated and belligerent" men refused to leave the somber event and were arrested.

Monica Wilson, a 41-year-old former Norwalk resident who had moved to Westport, was killed near Exit 2 on Route 8 in Bridgeport when her vehicle was struck by a van driven in the wrong direction by Bridgeport resident Wilber Martinez, 35. A passenger in the van, Bridgeport resident Ananias Castillo-Icabalzeta, 46, also was killed in the crash, and Martinez was seriously injured.

Wilson died one day before her 42nd birthday; her two young sons were in the vehicle during the crash, and suffered injuries that were not life-threatening.

On Friday, management at Raymond Funeral Home in Norwalk contacted police about two men at Wilson's wake who had caused a disturbance.

"Management had asked them to leave but they were refusing," said Norwalk Police Lt. Terry Blake in a statement. "Officers arrived on-scene and spoke to the individuals and family members in attempts to get them to leave however they refused."

Friends and family tried to convince the two men to leave, but one of them got into an altercation with another person in attendance.

"Officers stepped in to stop the altercation and place the male under arrest," Blake said "The male, identified as Donald Pelletier, began resisting the officers' attempts to arrest him. At this time another male, identified as Francis Bruno, attempted to assist Pelletier. After brief struggles, both Pelletier and Bruno were taken into custody."

The two men were transported to Norwalk Hospital by Norwalk Hospital EMS for evaluation, and were later released.

Bruno, 42, of Norwalk, and Pelletier, 33, of Burlington, Vermont, were both charged with breach of peace and interfering with a police officer.

The two are scheduled to appear in Stamford Superior Court on Thursday.