Woman removed top during traffic stop

TORRINGTON — Three area residents were recently arrested and charged with drug-related offenses, and a woman allegedly took her top off as part of an effort to keep police from finding crack cocaine, police said.

Torrington residents Terrence D. Stevens and Jeremy Kalish, and Caanan resident Amy E. McNealy were stopped Saturday after their vehicle turned from Forest Court to Forest Street without signaling, according to police.

The vehicle stopped at the intersection of Church Street and Migeon Avenue, police said, within 1,500 feet of Vogel-Wetmore Elementary School.

As the stop took place, a Torrington police officer saw the driver reaching down between his legs and, as he approached the vehicle, the officer “immediately noticed the strong odor of marijuana,” according to a police report.

Kalish allegedly was in possession of a pipe used to smoke crack cocaine, while Stevens had a bag of marijuana in his jacket pocket, police said. The fourth passenger in the vehicle, Kristofer Redente, was arrested on an outstanding warrant.

“I removed the back seat passenger and identified her as Amy (McNealy),” the officer in the report said. “I asked McNealy if she had anything illegal on her and she immediately began to yell at me, ‘C’mon don’t do this!’ I asked her what she was talking about.”

McNealy then yelled at the officer, using profanity as she encouraged him to search her in a challenging manner, according to the report.

“I informed (McNealy) I would be calling a female officer to come and search her. (McNealy) immediately took off both her shirt and bra. I instructed (McNealy) to put her shirt back on and she refused to comply. I instructed (McNealy) a second time to put her shirt on and she began to quickly walk away from me while putting her shirt on,” the officer said.

Another officer told McNealy to sit on the curb, then noticed her throw something to the ground.

“I noticed (McNealy) was attempting to crush something with her feet. I immediately instructed (McNealy) to stop and she refused to comply,” an officer wrote in the report.

McNealy was trying to crush a bag of alleged crack cocaine, according to police. Another bag was found where she had been standing.

“Several more off white rocks and a clear plastic bag” were found in the passenger seat of the vehicle, where Stevens had been reaching during the stop, police said.

Stevens, 38, of 315 Cole St., was charged with tampering with evidence, possession of narcotic — cocaine, possession of narcotics in a school zone and possession of less than a half-ounce of marijuana. He is free on a $5,000 cash bond and scheduled to appear in Superior Court in Torrington Oct. 30.

McNealy, 33, of 191 West Main St., Canaan, was charged with tampering with evidence, possession of narcotics — cocaine, possession in a school zone, interfering with an officer/resisting arrest and public indecency. She is free on a $5,000 surety bond and scheduled to appear in Superior Court in Torrington Oct. 23.

Kalish, 35, of 102 Village Drive, wascharged with use of drug paraphernalia. He was issued a misdemeanor summons and scheduled to appear in Superior Court in Torrington Oct. 30.

Redente was charged with second-degree failure to appear. He was held in lieu of $1,000 bail and scheduled to appear in Superior Court in Torrington Oct. 30.