Connecticut

CT man accused of threatening two people with firearm at commuter lot during road rage incident

Published

2 years ago

April 9, 2024

CT man accused of threatening two people with firearm at commuter lot during road rage incident

A Southington man was arrested and charged for allegedly brandishing a firearm during a road rage incident at a Waterbury commuter lot Tuesday morning, state police said.

Troopers assigned to Troop A in Southbury responded to an Interstate 84 commuter parking lot at Exit 23 in Waterbury around 6:36 a.m. on Tuesday for a report of an incident involving a male who allegedly brandished a firearm, according to the Connecticut State Police.

Troopers met with two complainants who alleged that a man brandished a firearm in the commuter lot after a road rage-type incident. The first complainant told state police they were at the commuter parking lot waiting for the second complainant when they saw the second complainant’s pickup truck enter the commuter lot, state police said.

According to both complainants, a black Mercedes E550 with a Connecticut registration plate, drove into the lot immediately after the pickup truck. The two then alleged that a man exited the Mercedes and began yelling that the pickup driver “had passed his companion’s vehicle in an unsafe manner and almost caused a collision,” according to state police.

The pickup driver told state police that before to entering the commuter lot, the Mercedes had allegedly cut their vehicle off in the area of Union Avenue and Hamilton Avenue, forcing the pickup driver to come to a stop to avoid a collision, state police said. The pickup driver then alleged that the man began yelling and gesturing for the them to drive into the commuter lot, according to state police.

Both complainants told state police that during their interactions with the man, he continued to yell and allegedly pulled a silver handgun out of his coat pocket, pointing it toward the ground, causing them to fear for their safety, state police said.

The complainants said they told the man that they were contacting police and he then “put the handgun back into his pocket, reentered the Mercedes, and drove out of the parking lot,” according to state police.

One of the two complainants told police they took photos of the man, his Mercedes and its license plate. The photos were given to investigating troopers who identified the registered owner of the vehicles as 46-year-old Gentjan Korcari of Southington, state police said.

Troopers were unable to locate Korcari in Waterbury, according to state police. They were able to contact him by phone a short time later, and he agreed to meet with troopers at the I-84 Exit 26 commuter lot in Cheshire, state police said.

According to state police, Korcari arrived at the commuter lot driving a white Chevrolet pickup truck. He told troopers he and a companion were traveling in separate vehicles on Hamilton Avenue and both vehicles were in the center lane.

“According to Korcari, a pickup truck was in the left lane to turn left, but when the traffic signal turned green, the pickup truck drove straight ahead instead of turning left, nearly striking his companion’s car and allegedly striking his Mercedes E550,” state police said.

Korcari told troopers he told the driver of the pickup truck to pull into commuter parking lot. When they arrived in the lot, Korcari alleged that several individuals approached his car and one was yelling at him, according to state police.

Korcari told troopers he felt threatened and pulled his handgun from his jacket pocket but did not completely remove it, state police said.

Korcari described his handgun to state police as silver in color. During the investigation, troopers reportedly learned that Korcari no longer had the firearm on him or inside of his vehicle but had brought home after the incident, according to state police.

Based upon the information, Korcari was placed under arrest and transported to Troop A, where he was processed and charged with first-degree threatening with a firearm and second-degree breach of peace.

Troopers also seized the firearm as evidence, state police said.

Korcari was released on a $40,000 non-surety bond and is scheduled for arraignment at Waterbury Superior Court on April 24.

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Connecticut

Opinion: Three things CT must do to up its food game

Published

2 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

Opinion: Three things CT must do to up its food game

If you grew up in North Carolina, you don’t just eat fast food — you inherit it. The first time I walked into a Connecticut drive-thru, I realized something that shocked my younger self: I missed home because I missed the food. Connecticut may pride itself on being the Pizza Capital of the United States, but for anyone raised in the South, that crown doesn’t solve the state’s biggest problem — it lacks the fast-food culture that keeps everyday meals fun, comforting and quick.

Before Nutmeggers fire their ovens to defend New Haven, let me acknowledge the obvious: Connecticut has world-class pizza. The state is so proud of it that the governor’s office issued a press release doubling down on the title, even noting that there are 1,376 pizza restaurants statewide and 63 in New Haven alone.

And yes, the pies are incredible. Many are handmade, cooked in old ovens and worth the wait.

But that’s the point: You have to wait. A lot.

Most weekends, you’ll stand in line at Pepe’s longer than it takes to drive from New Britain to Hartford. Connecticut pizza may be extraordinary, but it’s not fast food. And it can’t replace what the South does best: comfort meals you can get in minutes.

As a North Carolina native now living in Connecticut, here are three things this state needs to truly level up its food game:

A legendary fast-food chain — ideally Bojangles.

Southerners don’t go to Bojangles. We return to it. It’s fried chicken that tastes like home, biscuits you can’t replicate, and seasoned fries that make road trips worth it.

Connecticut may not realize it, but people here miss it too. Some residents literally drive from Connecticut to North Carolina just for Bojangles, as shown in this Reddit thread from transplanted Southerners longing for a “Bojangles fix.” Another Reddit post raves about trying Bojangles for the first time.

Even YouTube creators have jumped in, praising the chain with videos like this review of its famous chicken and biscuits.

There’s also a full breakdown of the chain’s significance in “The Untold Truth of Bojangles,” which you can read here. For an outside perspective, a Connecticut-based writer included Bojangles in a ranking of the best Southern chains.

And recently, Bojangles made business news when reports suggested the company is up for sale — a reminder of how culturally important it is to its fans.

Bottom line: Bojangles has more than 800 locations across 17 states, a loyal fan base and a flavor profile the Northeast simply doesn’t match.

More variety. The South’s fast-food universe is huge.

A writer who lived in both New England and the South described the contrast clearly in this Business Insider piece: “The fast-food options are seemingly endless in the South.”

North Carolina has Cook Out, Zaxby’s, Biscuitville, Smithfield’s Chicken ’N Bar-B-Q, and more. Connecticut has far fewer regional chains, meaning fewer signature flavors and fewer low-cost comfort foods. It’s not just about fried chicken — it’s about choice.

A stronger culture of quick, flavorful meals.

Fast food in N.C. isn’t just food — it’s rhythm. It’s grabbing a Cajun Filet Biscuit before school, hitting Cook Out after a late game or stopping at Bojangles on road trips because you know exactly what that first bite will taste like. Connecticut leans heavily on sit-down meals and pizza culture. Great traditions, but not always practical for families, students or workers looking for fast, inexpensive meals on the go.

The Counterargument: But Connecticut Has Pizza.

True — Connecticut has some of the best pizza in the country, and locals love it fiercely. But pizza isn’t filling the same role Bojangles does in North Carolina. It’s not a drive-thru meal; it’s not a cultural touchstone, and it doesn’t come with a sweet tea strong enough to fix a bad day. Pizza can be phenomenal while still leaving a gap in the food landscape.

The Solution

It’s time for Connecticut to welcome a major Southern chain, ideally Bojangles, and embrace the culture that comes with it. Even a single location would bring new flavors, new customers, new jobs and maybe even a new sense of identity around quick comfort food. Connecticut doesn’t have to stop loving pizza. But it can expand its palate — and its drive-thru options.

Because here’s the truth that no Connecticut resident wants to hear from a Southerner: Your pizza is amazing. But you have no idea how good life can be with a Bo-Berry Biscuit.

Max Frazier is a sophomore, a Blue Devils basketball player and a proud North Carolinian studying communication at Central Connecticut State University.

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Connecticut

State police investigating suspicious incident in Burlington

Published

15 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

State police investigating suspicious incident in Burlington

BURLINGTON, Conn. (WFSB) – Connecticut State Police are investigating a suspicious incident at a residence on Case Road in Burlington.

Multiple state troopers and police vehicles were seen at the home conducting an investigation. A viewer reported seeing nine police cars and numerous troopers at the scene.

State police said there is no threat to the public at this time. The investigation is ongoing.

No additional details about the nature of the suspicious incident have been released.

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Connecticut

Ecuadorian national with manslaughter conviction sentenced for illegally reentering United States through Connecticut

Published

1 day ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Ecuadorian national with manslaughter conviction sentenced for illegally reentering United States through Connecticut

NEW HAVEN, CT. (WFSB) – An Ecuadorian national with a manslaughter conviction was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for illegally reentering the United States through Connecticut after being deported.

40-year-old Darwin Francisco Quituizaca-Duchitanga was sentenced and had used the aliases Darwin Duchitanga-Quituizaca and Juan Mendez-Gutierrez.

U.S. Border Patrol first encountered Quituizaca in December 2003, when he used the alias Juan Mendez-Gutierrez and claimed to be a Mexican citizen. He was issued a voluntary return to Mexico.

Connecticut State Police arrested him in March 2018 on charges related to a fatal crash on I-91 in North Haven in March 2017. He was using the alias Darwin Duchitanga-Quituizaca at the time.

ICE arrested him on an administrative warrant in Meriden in August 2018 while he was awaiting trial in his state case. An immigration judge ordered his removal to Ecuador in September 2018, but he was transferred to state custody to face pending charges.

Quituizaca was convicted of second-degree manslaughter in January 2019 and sentenced to 30 months in prison.

After his release, ICE arrested him again on an administrative warrant in Meriden in August 2023. He was removed to Ecuador the next month.

ICE arrested Quituizaca again on a warrant in Meriden on June 28th, 2025, after he illegally reentered the United States. He pleaded guilty to unlawful reentry on July 30th.

He has been detained since his arrest. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated the case.

The case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat illegal immigration and transnational criminal organizations.

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