A father is facing charges after police said he drove drunk with his 9-day-old infant unsecured in the car hours after a birthday celebration and hit another vehicle as he turned around and sped off to avoid a sobriety checkpoint in Clinton, according to police.
Amado Dilone, who just turned 25 on Saturday night, stopped suddenly when he came across a sobriety check point on Route 81 in Clinton at about 1:37 a.m. on Sunday and caused the vehicle behind him to slam on the brakes, police said. Dilone backed into the bumper of the car behind him, pulled a "U" turn and took off, police said.
Officers chased him, stopped him nearby and noticed he was intoxicated. Then they saw his 9-day-old baby in the car and the baby was not secured in a car seat, police said.
Police also arrested a woman in the car who had a small amount of marijuana on her and a stun gun.
Officers charged Dilone, of Killingworth, with operating under the influence, operating with a suspended license, evading responsibilities, unsafe backing, transporting a child under the age of 4 without a proper restraint system and risk of injury to a minor. He is being held in police custody in lieu of a $5,000 bond.
Police also charged the female passenger, Sage Grady, 18, of West Haven, with possessing a weapon in a motor vehicle and possession of less than four ounces of a controlled substance. Her relationship to Dilone is unknown. She was released on a written promise to appear in court on Oct. 2.
The baby's mother was in the car too, but police didn't charge her with anything.
