Police Blotter for June 22: Arrest in Road Rage Stabbing

Fairfield man charged with assault in road rage incident

A 56-year-old Fairfield man accused of stabbing a motorcyclist in the wrist after a road rage confrontation outside a liquor store on the Post Road in Fairfield was arrested Tuesday night.

Police said Peter Bittner, of Reef Road, was charged with second-degree assault and breach of peace at his home after he cut a 30-year-old Bridgeport man on his wrist after the Bridgeport man confronted him outside Fairfield Wine & Spirits about 8:58 p.m.

The Bridgeport motorcyclist reported that he was riding his motorcycle on Old Post Road by Oldfield Road when a green pickup truck driven by Bittner cut him off, police said. The Bridgeport man said he swerved his motorcycle out of the way and around the pickup truck and that Bittner followed him to the liquor store, police said.

Police said the Bridgeport man then got off his motorcycle to confront Bittner and Bittner pulled out a knife and cut him on his left wrist, saying "I got you" before going into the store, police said.

The Bridgeport man got the license plate number on Bittner's pickup truck, and officers went to Bittner's home on Reef Road, where they arrested him, police said. The knife was seized as evidence, police said.

Bittner was released on a promise to appear in Bridgeport Superior Court June 28, police said.

Copper gutters, drain pipe stolen from Oldfield Road house

Copper gutters and a copper drain pipe, both of unknown value, were reported stolen from a house on Oldfield Road in Fairfield sometime over the weekend. The theft was reported to police at 2:51 p.m. Tuesday.

Shoplifting arrest at Kohl's

A 31-year-old New Haven man was arrested on a larceny charge Tuesday afternoon after he allegedly stole clothes and a vacuum cleaner from Kohl's, a department store on Tunxis Hill Road in Fairfield.

Michael Cassella, of Welton Street, was charged with fifth-degree larceny. He was released on a promise to appear in Bridgeport Superior Court June 28, police said.

Police said a loss prevention officer at Kohl's saw Cassella walk past the checkout lines and leave the store about 4:18 p.m. with a baby stroller that had clothes and a vacuum cleaner he did not pay for. Cassella also had an outstanding warrant for reckless driving, police said.

Copper pipe stolen from church

About 16 feet of copper pipe valued at $1,200 was reported stolen from Calvin United Church on Kings Highway East in Fairfield sometime between 5:15 a.m. and 3 p.m. Tuesday, police said.

The copper pipe was stolen from the east side of the church and the theft was reported to police at 8:36 p.m. Tuesday, police said.