Lies, Threats Over Power End in Arrests

Three Avon residents are facing a variety of charges after tangling with CL&P Crews

Frustration is boiling over for people still without power in Avon.

Three people were arrested in three different incidents involving Connecticut Light & Power over the past few days.

Riki Motes, 63, called CL&P Tuesday and said she would kill herself because she was still without power, 10 days after the October Nor'easter, according to Avon police. She told the person who answered the call that she had a gun to her head was going to shoot herself. CL&P called police, who rushed to the home. When they arrived, Motes told officers her suicide threat was made up because she was frustrated about not having power. She was charge with disorderly conduct.

Tuesday night, Zachary Budman, 33, called CL&P to say that he would shoot any CL&P workers he came across near his Chestnut Drive home, according to police. CL&P told crews working in the area to leave, delaying work to restore power. The utility called police. Budman was charged with second-degree harassment and second-degree breach of peace.

Police, firefighters and an ambulance were sent to the home Juniper Drive home of Orahan Cirikovic last Friday after he told CL&P he was shocked by downed wires while driving over them in his driveway, police said. Officers said they quickly learned Cirikovic had made up the story. He was charged with falsely reporting an incident.

Thousands were still in the dark Tuesday. Connecticut Light & Power had the number down to less than 500 Wednesday night.

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