Construction Noise Sends Fairfield Woman Over the Edge

Doing highway construction work at night may be great for commuters, but not for a Congress Street woman, who was arrested Thursday on a charge that she threatened to kill construction workers on the Merritt Parkway near her home.

After initially denying that she made the threat on a taped line at the Fairfield Police Department, Susan Mulligan, 55, told officers, "You're damn right. They are driving me nuts, and I'm going to kill them," according to police.

Mulligan's admission came after the second time officers went to her home early Thursday, police said. Officers first went to her home about 12:39 a.m. after she called the town's Emergency Communications Center, which is in the basement of the Fairfield Police Department, to report the noise and said she was "going to kill everyone over there," according to police. Mulligan denied making that threat and told officers she had just expressed frustration over the noise, police said.

Mulligan called the ECC again about 2:36 a.m. and said she was "going to kill members of the construction crew near her home," police said. She said Fairfield Police officers needed to stop the construction workers, and, if they didn't, "I'll do it myself. I'll go across the street and kill someone," according to police.

Officers arrived the second time at her home and she initially denied making the threat, even though the call was made on a tape-recorded emergency line, police said. Police said Mulligan had "a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage."

Mulligan then admitted to making the threat, police said.

Police said the construction workers were on a section of the Merritt Parkway near the Hi-Ho Motel on Black Rock Turnpike.

Mulligan was charged with threatening and was released on a promise to appear in Bridgeport Superior Court Dec. 14.

Police said officers were dispatched to her home on Nov. 20 on a similar report.