Youth is Seized in Police Threat
NEWTOWN, July 14 – Roland J. Keating, 20, of Stony Hill district, Bethel, accused of assault with intent to kill a policeman, was bound over yesterday to the September term of Superior court and confined to the county jail Bridgeport. His bond was set at $10,000.
Keating, paroled from Cheshire reformatory a month ago, is charged with threatening the life of State Policeman Guy M. Bonuomo of the Ridgefield barracks, who approached him at the scene of an auto accident here about 5 a m yesterday after the youth drove from a Danbury service station without paying for 12 gallons of gasoline.
The parolee waived examination in Town court here when Judge John F. Holian found probable cause for the charge.
Keating’s failure to release the safety catch on the 22 calibre rifle he levelled at the officer was the “only thing that kept him from shooting me” said Policeman Bunuomo.
The State policeman said he ducked behind his patrol car after throwing the youth off guard and fired a warning shot into the air. This he said, induced Keating to drop the rifle and surrender immediately.
Policeman Bunuomo said Keating gave three reasons for his actions, his recent parole, his flight from the service station without paying for gasoline and that he had no operators license.
Lieut. Mayo said Keating had borrowed the auto of a friend with whom he had been drinking Thursday night, and drove to New York state before coming into Danbury at an early hour Friday and stopping at the gasoline station.
Policeman Buonomo resides at 929 Reef road Fairfield.
Source: Youth is Seized in Police Threat, The Bridgeport Telegram, Bridgeport, Connecticut, 14 July 1951, p. 14.