Man arrested after gunshots in Branford swamp

Written by New Haven Register

Monday, March 15, 2010

Mark Zaretsky

BRANFORD — Police arrested a Laurel Hill Road man at gunpoint early Sunday on a number of charges after responding to reports of gunshots at 1:15 a.m. and then finding him on an ATV in the Pisgah Brook property with three firearms and a 6-inch knife, police said.

Antonio Mauro, 28, of 186 Laurel Hill Road, was arrested after police investigated a complaint of gunshots being heard. He was charged with carrying a gun without a permit, carrying a firearm under the influence, criminal possession of a gun, carrying a dangerous weapon, violation of a protective order, third-degree criminal trespass and violation of a town ordinance. He was released on $10,000 bail and arraigned today in Superior Court in New Haven.

Branford and North Branford police both received several complaints about 1:15 a.m. of gunshots coming from the town line off of Brushy Plains Road near Farview Road, said police Lt. Geoffrey Morgan. When officers arrived, they heard numerous gunshots that sounded like a large caliber rifle coming from deep within a wooded area.

While approaching the sound of the gunshots on foot, officers noticed a Yamaha ATV that appeared to be stuck in a swamp. Mauro was in the ATV with a rifle on the seat next to him, Morgan said. Officers removed Mauro from the ATV at gunpoint without incident, he said.

A search turned up several other weapons, including a rifle, a .38 caliber revolver in an ankle holster, a 9mm semi-automatic pistol in Mauro’s waistband and a 6-inch knife on his belt, Morgan said. All of the weapons were fully loaded and Mauro also had three additional magazines of ammunition for the semi-automatic pistol, he said.

In interviewing Mauro, officers determined that Mauro had taken more prescription medication than he was prescribed and also appeared to be under the influence of a narcotic, Morgan said.

Mauro currently has a protective order issued against him as a result of a previous family violence arrest, Morgan said. That arrest prohibits him from possessing any firearms. Police determined that the firearms belonged to another family member, but seized them anyway, he said.

Source: http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2010/03/15/news/doc4b9e8009bd485642793784.txt

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