POLICE CHARGE MAN WITH FALSE REPORT OF EMERGENCY AT WHEELER LIBRARY

North Stonington — State police said they charged a Mystic man Saturday who allegedly falsely reported in June that there was an emergency at Wheeler Library.

According to the police report, state police in Montville received a call, transferred from Stonington police, around 5:16 p.m. on June 4. The caller said that Wheeler Library was the site of an emergency and that “the piano player is a terrorist” and “a lot of people are going to get hurt.” The caller then hung up.

State troopers arriving at the library found that a musical event was taking place and there was “no threat to the public,” according to the report.

Police said they then traced the call to a public phone in Stonington and determined Marcus Maronn, 65, of 260 Noank Road, Mystic, was a suspect, based on witnesses and video footage.

Police said Maronn admitted he made the call and turned himself in to state police in Montville on Saturday.

Police charged Maronn with second-degree false statement, falsely reporting an incident, falsely reporting an incident concerning serious injury or death, misuse of the emergency 911 system, breach of peace and second-degree harassment.

Maronn was released on bond and is slated to appear Aug. 7 in New London Superior Court, according to the report. man who was “intoxicated” and “out of control.”

According to the state police report, two state troopers responded to the report of the intoxicated man around 6 p.m. Saturday on Beach Pond Road. As the troopers left their cruisers, a trooper observed that Kevin G. Woodcock, of 869 Beach Pond Road, had locked himself in the barn.

The trooper asked Woodcock several times to open the barn door, but he didn’t, according to the report. A family member then opened the barn door for the police.

The trooper told Woodcock to put his hands behind his back, but he did not comply, the report stated. Woodcock started to resist when the trooper tried to grab his arm and put him into handcuffs, and a “fight then ensued” between Woodcock and the trooper.

The second trooper then used his Taser, but it was “ineffective,” and Woodcock pulled out the Taser’s prongs, according to the report.

After wrestling with Woodcock, the two troopers placed him into custody. He was taken to the state police barracks in Montville and charged. He was scheduled to appear in court Monday. the victim told police two men were responsible for the beating, which occurred inside 80 Maple Ave. He said one of the men was named Ralph Zahn and the other he knew only as “Mike.”

According to the report, the victim told police “Mike” hit him all over his body with a stick that was similar to a broom handle. Then, as he was on the ground, Zahn allegedly grabbed him by the neck and held him down to the ground until he felt like he was going to pass out.

“Mike” continued to attack the victim with the stick and then a piece of lumber, which Zahn beat him with as well, according to the affidavit.

Ralph Zahn, 47, of 80 Maple Ave., was charged with second-degree assault, first-degree unlawful restraint and first-degree strangulation, all of which are felonies.

“Mike,” later identified as William M. Thomas, 63, of 20 Colman St., Apt. 4, was charged with second-degree assault and second-degree threatening.

Records show Thomas in May 2014 was sentenced to a total of 32 months in jail after being convicted of second-degree assault and third-degree assault in two separate cases.

Both men were held on $35,000 bonds and have upcoming court dates in August. The flames didn’t spread beyond the hood system.

Officials evacuated the restaurant and closed it for the evening so employees could clean up and conduct repairs. Fire crews remained on scene about an hour and 20 minutes, Blanchard said.

The second fire call came at 10:39 p.m. as workers were restoring the equipment.

According to Blanchard, a giant bucket, which was filled with the grease and other waste from a gas-fed flattop fryer, caught fire and ignited the area just behind the fryer. Firefighters quickly put out the blaze.

Blanchard said there appeared to be a gas leak in the back portion of the fryer. Norwich Public Utilities helped secure the scene.

The Yantic, East Great Plains and Mohegan Tribal fire departments responded to both calls. Colchester firefighters additionally responded to the second blaze because it was reported that it had spread to the building. Crews spent about two hours on scene.

Friendly’s will remain closed until its equipment is repaired and its kitchen and dining areas have been cleared of the dry chemical agent used to quash the fires. Blanchard said the fire marshal and health and building officials were scheduled to look at the restaurant Monday. Street thanks to a functioning smoke detectors and being close to a fire station, according to Chief Kenneth Scandariato.

The Fire Marshal’s office on Monday afternoon determined the fire was “incendiary” or intentionally set.

Scandariato said the call came in about 5:30 a.m. Monday. Occupants of the home at 7 Third St. escaped safely because smoke detectors alerted them, he said.

Upon arrival, firefighters found contents burning in a room on the first floor toward the back of the building. The fire was under control in about 15 minutes and firefighters spent about an hour on scene.

Scandariato said eight people temporarily have been displaced because of the blaze, but the building will be livable in the future. The American Red Cross is helping the eight residents.

Records show the building is a two-story duplex that also encompasses 9 Third St.

The chief said city firefighters “did a nice job” but also got lucky because the fire occurred just a couple of blocks from the Greeneville station, which is at 446 N. Main St. No one was injured. Police said in a news release issued Monday afternoon that the fire caused “moderate damage” to the building, and the Red Cross is helping to temporarily relocate the family of two adults and six children.

The city fire marshal investigated the fire, with help from the city police department fire investigation team and an Accelerant Detection K-9 team from the State Police Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit, according to a news release.

The police department fire investigation team is also investigating a July 3 fire at 3-7 S. Second Avenue in Taftville that the fire marshal also ruled an arson. Posted signs offer a potential reward of $2,500 for information that leads to an arrest and conviction.

“At this time, there are no direct indications that these two fires are related,” police said in a release.

Police ask anyone with more information about the fires or other suspected incidents of arson to call Officer First Class Robert Smith or Officer Scott Dupointe of the police department fire investigation team at (860) 886-5561, extension 6; the police department’s anonymous tip line at (860) 886-5561, extension 4, or the Connecticut Arson Hot Line at (800) 84ARSON/(800) 842-7766.