New charge could block cop’s chance for probation
Delgado accused of interfering with police
BRIDGEPORT — A veteran Norwalk cop’s quest for a pretrial probation program for an alleged drunkendriving crash hit a roadblock Tuesday when he was hit with a new charge.
Hector Delgado, of Stratford, stood with his lawyer before Superior Court Judge Eugene Calistro expecting to hear the words “program granted” only instead to hear Assistant
State’s Attorney Felicia Valentino tell the judge that, based on a review of video in the case, she was now charging Delgado with interfering with police.
Delgado, a 26year veteran of the Norwalk Police Department, had been charged with driving under the influence, illegally carrying a firearm while under the influence and failure to drive in the proper lane, all motor vehicle charges. Interfering with a police officer is a serious misdemeanor and carries a penalty of up to one year in prison.
The new charge would also not be covered by the alcohol education program, a pretrial probation program that Delgado had applied for and, if successfully completed, would have resulted in the other charges being dismissed.
Valentino would not comment later on the reasons for the new charge. Delgado’s lawyer, Noah Kores, told the judge they would need more time to consider the case based on the new charge.
The judge continued the case to Dec. 6.
Neither Delgado nor Kores would comment as they left the Golden Hill Street courthouse.
Norwalk Police Chief Thomas Kulhawik suspended Delgado for five days in connection to the arrest. Norwalk police spokesman Lt. Terry Blake did not say Tuesday if the department had reviewed the body cam footage from Delgado’s arrest, but he did say the
internal case against Delgado had been “closed.”
A Freedom of Information request for the body cam footage has been pending with the state since Aug. 26. The Legal Affairs Unit for the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, which is handling the request, said Tuesday the footage needs to be cleared by the state’s attorney before being released.
Delgado was arrested after police said he sideswiped a truck on Interstate 95 in Fairfield and fled the scene on Aug. 8.
A driver reported a hitandrun accident around 9 p.m. on Aug. 8, state police said. The witness reportedly followed the driver, later identified as Delgado, off the highway to the parking lot of a Fairfield Midas on Post Road.
State police said they saw the car pulling out of the parking lot when they arrived. State police said they followed before they were “successfully able to get the vehicle stopped” more than a halfmile away.
State police said they smelled “a heavy odor” of alcohol on Delgado’s breath while speaking to him; he later failed a field sobriety test.
Delgado is a former Offi
cer of the Year and has been a constant presence around South Norwalk since joining the force in 1993, sources said.
While offduty, Delgado has refereed local basketball games and helps at the Police Activities League boxing gym — which he helped revive in 2018.
“I used poor judgment. I made a mistake,” Delgado said after his arrest. “Now I’ll go through the court system, just like anyone else, and I’ll face the consequences.”
While Delgado has been recognized throughout his career for his community service, the 46yearold Stratford resident has a checkered history behind the scenes with the Norwalk Police Department.
There have been nine substantiated allegations made against Delgado since 2003, according to a comprehensive employee report obtained from the Norwalk Police Department.
In 2003, he was suspended three days for incompetence, unbecoming behavior and violation of rules. In 2011, he was suspended five days for violating and failing to conform to department rules. In 2012, he was suspended 10 days for unbecoming conduct.
In 2015, Kulhawik ordered Delgado to undergo counseling for instances of insubordination and neglect of duty.