Michael P. Mayko, Staff Writer
Published: 11:37 p.m., Monday, September 27, 2010
SHELTON -- Police seized a dozen containers of cleaning compounds, automobile fluids and chemicals including three gallons of Muriatic acid from a Bridgeport firefighter's shed Sept. 5 after viewing a video allegedly showing he poured something onto a neighbor's main water line.
Shelton Police Detectives Ben Trabka and Michael Fusco confiscated the items after obtaining a search-and-seizure warrant from Superior Court Judge Robert J. Devlin for the shed of Edward Voccola, 52, of 989 Woodland Park. They also swabbed the main water line and sent that, as well as an aerosol container cap taken from Voccola's trash can, to the State Police Forensic Laboratory for analysis, according to the police affidavit made available in Derby Superior Court Monday.
Voccola was arrested on charges of second-degree assault on a person over 60 and reckless endangerment. He has pleaded not guilty to both charges and is free on bond.
On Wednesday, Superior Court Judge Burton Kaplan has scheduled a pre-trial conference with Voccola, his lawyer and the prosecution to discuss the case. Usually the two sides discuss the strengths and weakness of the case. It is unlikely, however, that a plea deal will be offered Wednesday because there is a backlog at the state lab in analyzing evidence.
Voccola and the neighbor, identified in the affidavit as Chester Galemba, have been involved in a dispute since last October when Galemba complained of used motor oil being dumped on his property. The state Department of Environmental Protection confirmed the dumping, which was cleaned up at a cost of about $6,000 paid by Garden Homes Management, which operates the park.
Since then Galemba filed two other complaints of vandalism with Shelton police and installed a surveillance camera on his property.
Trabka and Fusco claim in the affidavit that Galemba did this because "he is afraid of what Voccola might do to him."
At 5:45 p.m. on Sept. 4, the affidavit claims the video shows "Voccola walking out of his shed with a small aerosol type container cap towards the rear of Galemba's home."
Trabka and Fusco claim in their affidavit the video shows "Voccola bends over at Galemba's water filtration system and pours the contents from the cap into the tube which leads into the Galemba's' water supply."
The two detectives further maintain in the affidavit that the video shows Voccola shaking the remains of the cap onto the ground before throwing it into the garbage can.
Upon arriving on the scene, Fusco swabbed the section of pipe where the liquid allegedly was dumped.
In addition to the Muriatic acid, police also seized separate containers of Ortho Ground Clear, Prestone Power Steering fluid, Quick Wax Shine, a bottle of 409 cleaner and aerosol cans of Liquid Wrench, PB Penetrating Catalyst, self-etching primer, duplicator truck van spray and Rustoleum primer.
Muriatic acid is a diluted form of hydrochloric, which is used to clean and etch stone, brick and concrete.
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