Oxford Man Jumps into River to Avoid Police After He's Caught Shoplifting

A 29-year-old Oxford man jumped into the Naugatuck River in an ill-fated attempted to avoid police in Seymour after he was caught shoptlifting in that town, police told the Valley Independent Sentinel online newspaper.

The Sentinel reports that John Demartino was caught shoplifting more than $200 worth of items from the Stop & Shop on Franklin Street at about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday. He ran toward Route 67, jumped in the river and waded there for about 10 minutes before swimming toward shore where officers grabbed him and placed him under arrest; he was taken to a local hospital as a precaution to check for hypothermia but was expected to be OK, the Sentinel reports.

Read more here on the Valley Independent Sentinel's website.