An elderly man is in serious condition after a car hit his motorized wheelchair on Route 1 in the Pawcatuck area of Stonington on Wednesday morning, causing the wheels and seat to break apart.

The crash happened near Mayflower Avenue and LifeStar responded to fly the man to Rhode island Hospital.

LifeStar landed at Pawcatuck Middle School, so it was place in lockdown to keep everyone inside until the scene was clear.

Route 1, or South Broad Street, was closed, but the road reopened.

Captain Todd Olson, of Stonington Police Department, said the driver who hit the man in the wheelchair stayed at the scene and is cooperating with the investigation.

More than half of downtown Seattle was left in the dark Wednesday because of an equipment failure, NBC News reported.

The power outage forced employees in the city’s commercial district to stop working and powerless traffic signals caused delays.

About 60 percent of downtown Seattle was affected, according to the city’s public transportation system.

Crews were still investigating what caused the outage.

A man possessing firearm parts went to a rehab facility in Torrington and made threaten statements that alarmed employees, police said. 

On Wednesday, Matthew Bartley, 35, reportedly made threatening statements when he showed up at the Hartford Dispensary on 140 Commercial Boulevard at 10:50 a.m.

Detectives seized Bartley's car on the property and seized parts of firearms and other "dangerous instruments", Torrington Police said. Police said they did not find any working firearms in the car. 

Later in the evening, detectives seized firearms from another location where Bartley allegedly kept functional firearms, police said. 

Bartley faces charges that include second-degree threatening, second-degree breach of peace and weapons in a motor vehicle.

His bond was set at $5,000 and he is expected to appear in court on May 26.

Friends and family of a Shelton High School senior who was killed in a crash in February, are fighting for him to be recognized and receive an honorary diploma at what would have been his graduation.

Eddy Conklin's mother said she never thought she would be in the situation she is in now.

“If you could relive just one day, what day would it be? I know for certain what day we would pick. That’s February 28," said Barbara Conklin because that was the last time her son was alive.

The popular Shelton High School student-athlete was killed in a single-vehicle crash on Bridgeport Avenue. Police are still investigating the details surrounding that deadly crash.

“Closure," said Mrs. Conklin. "I want everyone to go on peacefully.”

Many people from Shelton were pleading with the Board of Education on Wednesday night for Eddy to be able to receive an honorary diploma at what would have been graduation ceremony scheduled for June 10.

“They weren’t asking for music to be played, confetti to fall or the heavens to open," said a family friend. "They simply wanted their son recognized along with his classmates," she added.

“Please use your hearts," another woman pleaded. "Allow Eddy’s name to be called at graduation.”

Even before dozens of people spoke out to the Board of Education, the board had already voted not to take up the Conklin's request at Wednesday's meeting.

"The Board agreed to start a new tradition - awarding an Honorary Diploma to the families of students who were in good standing, but died before meeting graduation requirements," Mark Holden, a chairman on the Board of Education, wrote on Facebook earlier this month.

NBC Connecticut reached out to the district multiple times for comment.

Eddy's father, meanwhile, said he will keep fighting for his son's honorary diploma right up until the graduation ceremony begins.

An off-duty Boston Police officer was caught on camera slamming a man to the ground Tuesday evening.

The video purportedly shows the officer, wearing a Red Sox jersey and not presenting a badge, holding the man to the sidewalk and dragging him down the street to his car around 5:30 p.m.

Necn has chosen to blur both men's faces.

The altercation appears to have been over jaywalking.

"I started to tape it because it didn't look right," said Stephen Harlowe, who was on his way home from work when he saw the incident unfold.

"I said, 'What did he do, what did he do? Where is your ID?' and he would not answer me," Harlowe said. "You can see in the tape the victim turns around and he said, 'he cut me off in the intersection and he was mad.' So it was complete road rage at that point."

According to Harlowe, the man said he had crossed at the intersection of Boylston Street and Arlington Street - he reportedly used a crosswalk, but had a don't walk sign.

When the undercover police officer came around the corner in his car, the man says the car cut him off, so he banged on the window with his umbrella.

The officer said the man cracked the window.

"I saw it with my eyes," Harlowe said. "It's absolutely not scratched."

Harlowe told necn he's talked to the man in the purple shirt since, and that so far, he has not been charged with a crime.

"He acted like he had shot somebody," Harlowe said of the officer. "It was very uncalled for, it was completely unnecessary."

"The video was recently brought to our attention," Boston Police said in a statement. "It has been turned over to the internal affairs division who has initiated an inquiry. This inquiry will including speaking to the officer and attempting to contact witnesses and parties involved."

"I don't know what happen before it," Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said of the video. "Certainly during it, it seemed a little aggressive, but again, we're going to wait and see what happens with internal affairs before we take any action, before I make any further comment on it."

Boston Police confirm that the man was never arrested.

Walsh said he was not yet sure whether the officer would be allowed to work during the investigation.

Four people have been shot at a New York City concert venue where the rapper T.I. was performing, police say. 

The victims were shot during the concert at Irving Plaza in Union Square shortly after 10 p.m., police said.

Two men and a woman were taken to Bellevue Hospital. One of the men had life-threatening injuries, according to police.

A fourth victim walked into nearby NYU Hospital on their own, police said. 

The conditions of the other three victims weren't immediately known. 

Circumstances behind the shooting weren't immediately clear. No arrests have been made. 

Police swarmed the scene, and streets were blocked off. 

A concertgoer who did not want to give his name said he was near the stage when there was a sudden stampede. 

"Everybody was having a good time until everybody started running -- that's it," he said, adding that some panicked people fell on their way out. 

He said security getting into the concert was lax.

"They didn't search nobody, they didn't check no IDs," he said. 

Irving Plaza is a 1,025-person ballroom-style music venue.

Timothy Edwards Middle School in South Windsor was evacuated because of a phoned threat and police arrived with dogs to investigate out of an abundance of caution. 

A note sent to the South Windsor School Community says students were brought to Orchard Hill School and would be dismissed at noon.

Police said the bomb threat is similar to several received nationwide.

Police said they do not believe the threat is credible and students have been moved as a precaution. 

The death of a 5-month-old baby in Manchester is being investigated by police, officials said. 

On Sunday, crews responded to a medical call for a possible choking incident involving an infant at an apartment on Channing Drive in the Squire Village Complex, Manchester Police said.

Police are accusing the babysitting Joshua Maldonado, 23, who is not related to the infant, of killing the 5-month-old.

Maldonado turned himself into police on Wednesday.

The autopsy revealed that child died from a blunt trauma to the head and the death was ruled a homicide, police said.

Maldonado, of Hartford, is accused of first-degree manslaughter, first-degree assault and risk of injury to a minor. 

His bond was set at $350,000 and he is expected to appear in court on May 26.

You are experiencing sweet satisfaction knowing that your taxes were filed on time. That is, until you realize that you took a deduction when you did not qualify for it, or forgot to claim an important tax credit that could save you hundreds of dollars.

There is no need to panic — simply amend your tax return in a timely matter using IRS Form 1040X. This form is used to make corrections in income, deductions or credits, number of exemptions, filing status, or health care coverage (insurance) status per the Affordable Care Act. It can also be used to capture issues from up to three years prior, such as claiming a retroactive refundable credit. Other situations, such as receiving a corrected Form 1095-A from the Health Insurance Marketplace, may need to be captured on a Form 1040X depending on the effect it has on your tax return (in other words, whether or not the change disqualified you from taking a tax credit that you claimed on your initial return).

Form 1040X should not be used for items such as math errors or missing forms. The IRS will correct math errors and send you a request if any missing form is needed to process your return. 1040X also does not apply to requesting refunds of penalties or interest, or adding to taxes that you have already paid. In that case, Form 843, "Claim for Refund and Request for Abatement," applies. If you are unsure about when to use 1040X, look over the instructions for details.

The form is quite simple. It contains a column for original amounts, a column for amended amounts, check boxes to verify status, and a section for you to write in an explanation of the changes.

Aren't you just asking for an audit if you file an amended claim? Folklore says that you are, but reality -- and the IRS -- says otherwise. The IRS uses a complex computer formula known as the Discriminate Inventory Function that compares your items to the returns of similar taxpayers to look for large-scale outliers. Even then, an IRS agent reviews the return before deciding whether an audit is in order.

The fact that you amended a report does not increase your chances of an audit at all. However, the content of your amendment can increase the chances. For example, if you amend your return to show a massive change in income without a reasonable explanation as to why, you are more likely to be audited.

When making your correction, consider the following IRS tips:

• Only file Form 1040X after you have filed your initial return, and only file a 1040X for an amended refund amount after you have received the refund. Multiple returns in the system at the same time can create confusion.
• Form 1040X must be filed using a paper return, even if your initial return was e-filed. Make sure that you look over the instructions to find the correct mailing address for your area.
• Since you have three years from the date of your original filing to apply a Form 1040X, it is important to note on the form which year's taxes are being corrected. Otherwise, the IRS may apply the corrections to the wrong year. Review the instructions for exceptions to the three-year limit and how that limit is defined (typically from the filing deadline or the actual filing date, whichever is later).

Remember that amending your federal taxes could have ramifications on your state taxes. Check your state tax laws for the potential effects.

The IRS typically processes a 1040X in eight to twelve weeks, but it could take up to 16 weeks in some cases. You can track the progress using the "Where's My Amended Return" application on the IRS website. Have your Taxpayer ID number (social security number for most filers), your zip code, andf your date of birth ready for verification purposes.

Do not let fear of the IRS stop you from correcting your return. Correct your return at the earliest opportunity — and if you need professional help in doing so, do not be afraid to ask. It is better to correct a problem now than to put it off hoping the IRS does not notice the issue. How likely is that to happen? If your amendment means paying the IRS more, it’s better to give them some now than owe a whole lot more in penalties and interest later.

This article was provided by our partners at moneytips.com.
Taxpayer Bill Of Rights
IRS Audits Fall to 11-Year Low
What To Do If You Are Audited

President Barack Obama said world leaders are "rattled" by Donald Trump and have a good reason to feel that way, NBC News reported. 

Speaking at a news conference while at the G7 meeting in Japan, Obama said the American presidential election is being "very" closely watched abroad. He told reporters that "it's fair to say" world leaders are "surprised" Trump is the presumptive Republican nominee.

"They are not sure how seriously to take some of this pronouncements but they're rattled by him — and for good reason, because a lot of the proposals that he's made display either ignorance of world affairs or a cavalier attitude," Obama added.

The president also suggested Trump's controversial proposals were more about "getting tweets and headlines" than "actually thinking through" what's needed to keep America safe or the "world on an even keel."

A retired U.S. Marine who pleaded guilty to killing his girlfriend and dismembering her body with a machete will spend 26 years in prison, a judge ruled Wednesday.

Brian Brimager, formerly based at Camp Pendleton north of San Diego County, pleaded guilty in February 2016 to second-degree murder in the 2011 death of his girlfriend, Southern California resident Yvonne Baldelli.

Baldelli vanished five years ago when she traveled to Panama with Brimager. Her remains were found nearly two years after her disappearance on a remote island near Panama.

Brimager was sentenced in a San Diego courtroom Wednesday in front of dozens of Baldelli's loved ones, many of whom were in tears during the three-hour sentencing hearing. They addressed the court — and Brimager — directly, calling him "evil" and saying his lies over the years "tormented" Baldelli's family, prolonging the painful ordeal. 

"Your life would have been easier if you just sent Yvonne home," Baldelli’s mother said. "You will have to answer to a higher power and I will never forgive you."

Baldelli's childhood friend, Adrienne Markes, called the slaying a "disgusting, heinous crime" that warranted the maximum sentence.

"The hardest thing I’ve ever had to do was to fly to Panama to help her family search for her body. He was arrogant enough to think he could get away with it," she said of Brimager.

At the sentencing, prosecutors said Brimager published a social media post about the machete used to dismember Baldelli, which read, in part: "I bought it in the states before I moved down there...don't worry I only dismembered one stripper with it so it's hardly used:)"

Prosecutors said Brimager lacks remorse. Brimager offered the family an apology, but Baldelli’s loved ones called it a "hollow attempt to save himself."

The couple left from Dana Point, California, in September 2011 to stay on Isla Carenero, an island off the Panamanian coast accessible only by boat. Baldelli was last seen at a restaurant with Brimager on Nov. 26, 2011.

When entering his guilty plea, Brimager admitted he stabbed Baldelli in the back on Nov. 27, 2011, then used a machete to chop up her body. According to prosecutors, Brimager drugged and beat Baldelli, too, breaking her nose before he stabbed her.

After dismembering Baldelli's body, Brimager stuffed her remains into a military-style duffel bag and garbage bags, according to court documents. He then hiked 1 1/2 miles to another side of Isla Carenero, where he threw the bags down an embankment into the remote Panamanian jungle.

After the slaying, Brimager withdrew money from Baldelli's bank account and used it to buy drugs and alcohol, according to prosecutors. He also admitted to using a computer to communicate with Baldelli’s family members to conceal her death.

Brimager sent emails from Baldelli's laptop for about a month in an effort to convince her family that Baldelli was not only still alive but was happy and had traveled to Costa Rica with another man, authorities said.

"Those emails cruelly gave Yvonne’s family false hope that their loved one was still alive," court documents state. "As the family’s emails went unanswered, the pleas from her family became more desperate and heart-wrenching."

The emails, prosecutors said, caused the family to delay reporting Baldelli's disappearance to authorities for about two months because they thought she was still alive.

Court documents show Brimager also used the laptop to search for information on how to remove blood stains from a mattress.

Prosecutors said Brimager lied to investigators about Baldelli’s disappearance and told them she had taken her laptop while traveling. In 2012, he was found with Baldelli's computer in his possession, at which point Brimager changed his story but said he never used the computer to send emails.

Baldelli’s skeletal remains were found off the Isla Carenero coastline in 2013 — 21 months after her disappearance — by a Panamanian who found stumbled upon the duffel bag. Scientists identified Baldelli's body using DNA analysis on her skull and bones.

Brimager has been in U.S. custody since June 2013 on charges of obstruction of justice, giving false statements to a federal officer and falsifying records.

In April 2015, he was indicted by a federal grand jury in San Diego on a charge of foreign murder of a U.S. national. Brimager initially pleaded not guilty before reversing his plea in February 2016 after DNA evidence revealed Baldelli's blood to be under the handle of the machete.

In addition to his 26-year sentence, Brimager was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine and to pay restitution of more than $11,000 to Baldelli's father.

'Voices for Yvonne'

Baldelli’s niece, Lauren Beyer, said all those delivering victim impact statements in the courtroom Wednesday were speaking as "voices for Yvonne."

"Life was much simpler before even hearing Brimager’s name," said Beyer. "After he murdered her, he teased the family by acting like he was Yvonne. He has a dark soul. Why did he have to do this and carry it on for so long?"

Baldelli's father, James Faust, spoke of the hope he clung to after receiving Brimager's emails — and the pain he will endure for the rest of his life.

"I am traumatized by guilt and anger," he said. "I am ill physically and emotionally. I can’t sleep at night."

"It’s my understanding he cut her hands off and threw them over a cliff," he added. "Remorse is not in this man."

Lorraine Michelle Faust, Baldelli’s younger sister, said she "had not seen evil like this before."

"My sister was tortured for months before she was stolen from all of us," she said. "He is a monster."

Police are investigating an armed robbery at a Henny Penny in Groton.

Police said the robber had a knife and stole cash from the Henny Penny at the corner of Route 184 and Route 117 at 11:39 p.m. on Wednesday, then ran toward Candlewood Road.

Police have released a surveillance photo and ask anyone with information to call the Groton Town Police Department Detective Division at 860-441-6716.

Traffic is backed up for miles on Interstate 95 North in West Haven after a crash that happened around 5:30 a.m.

All lanes were temporarily closed at exit 43 as wreckers responded, but two lanes are now getting by.

However, there are delays into Milford and there have been several crashes in the backup.

To get around the mess, use the Wilbur Cross, Route 34 or the Post Road.

Check the interactive traffic map for any issues along your commute.

Follow Heidi Voight on Twitter for updates through the morning.

A phony Facebook account claiming to belong to slain North Texas fitness instructor Missy Bevers sent friend requests to Bevers' family and friends after her death, investigators said.

Bevers, 45, was found dead April 19 inside Creekside Church of Christ in Midlothian, where she had planned to host an exercise camp. Surveillance video captured a person wearing what appeared to be tactical gear inside the church just before the mother of three arrived.

Investigators hoped Bevers' Facebook account would help them identify the person seen on surveillance footage, believed to be between 5-foot-2 and 5-foot-7. Police have not determined whether that person is a man or woman.

After her death, a second account was created using Bevers' name and image, police said. The fake account sent friend requests to people Bevers knew, including students of her Camp Gladiator fitness class and her mother-in-law, police told NBC News.

Police said they have been trying to find the person responsible for the account, which has since been taken down.

"[The] best we can tell so far, the profile is gone, which means a dead end for us," Midlothian Assistant Police Chief Kevin Johnson told NBC News.

Investigators said the account may have been a scam, glitch or even a joke.

Police continue to investigate the incident and ask the public for help. A $10,000 reward has been offered by Oak Dairy Farms for information resulting in an arrest.

Two months after a Southern California barber cited scripture as a reason for denying a haircut to a transgender Army veteran, Kendall Oliver has filed suit, alleging a violation of civil rights.

Oliver, an Army reserve sergeant who served in Afghanistan, filed a lawsuit against The Barbershop in Rancho Cucamonga, citing an incident last March when the shop refused to cut Oliver's hair.

"What I'm looking for today is to make sure this never happens again to someone else," said Oliver, who was born female but identifies "more as male."

Owner Richard Hernandez said in March that his Christian religious beliefs forbid him from cutting a woman's hair.

"It is a shame for a man to have long hair. But if a woman has long hair, it is her glory," Hernandez told NBC4's Mekahlo Medina in March, paraphrasing scripture, the Apostle Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, 11:15.

"I don't want to be one who's taking away from her glory," Hernandez said.

Oliver's attorney contends the central issue is equal rights.

"Freedom of religion is important and it's protected," said attorney Peter Renn of Lambda Legal, which works on behalf of LBGT rights. "What it doesn't do is give anyone the right to cause harm to someone else, or for one person to inflict their religious beliefs on someone else." 

The Barbershop declined comment on the lawsuit Wednesday. An employee said the owner was out of town.

"The odds of the barber being able to implement this policy are extremely low," said Michael Helfand, a legal scholar not involved in the case. An associate professor at Pepperdine University School of Law, Helfand is an expert on religious law and religious liberty.

Unless the owner operated The Barbershop as a private club, it would be considered a public accommodation, and as such cannot discriminate on the basis of sex under California law, Helfand said.

The calculus likely would be different in other states that have enacted what are known as religious freedom laws, modeled after the 1993 federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act, according to Helfand.

"In those states, he might have a fighting chance. In those states, a law that prohibited him from implementing his religious beliefs in his commercial enterprise -- such a law might be deemed to actually substantially burden his religion, and therefore he'd be protected," Helfand said. "But California doesn't have such a law. California only prohibits laws from discriminating against religion. As a result, anti-discrimination laws don't discriminate against religion, they just implement neutral laws against everybody. As a result, he's unlikely to be successful in defending this suit." 

Helfand personally favors state laws that enable courts to consider religious burden in complying with a law.

"In a case like this, though -- again -- to be clear, it's very likely that the public policy is extremely strong," he said. "But cases like this do raise the question as to whether or not California law should reconsider the fact that it does not have any kind of law in place that allows you to balance religion against other public policy interests."

Oliver spoke of feeling humiliated at being denied the same treatment provided to other customers that day at The Barbershop.  In the view of Oliver's attorney, this case is about more than a haircut denied.

"No business has the right to inflict moral judgment," said Renn.

Mississippi plans to join 11 other states that filed a lawsuit Wednesday to block the Obama administration's transgender bathroom policy at public schools, Gov. Phil Bryant said Thursday, NBC News reported.

"Our office has talked to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's office and I intend, as soon as possible, to join the lawsuit against this latest example of federal overreach," Bryant, a Republican, said in a Facebook post.

Texas is leading the lawsuit. Governors from Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, Oklahoma, Tennessee, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Utah have jumped on board.

The Department of Education ordered all of the nation's public schools to honor transgender students' bathroom of choice.

A construction project in Boston has led to the discovery of a nearly 200-year-old shipwreck.

The remains of a wooden vessel from the mid- to late-19th century were discovered Wednesday by construction crews on Seaport Boulevard. They are at least 50 feet long.

"It's in pretty good shape considering it's been somehow avoiding construction for the past couple of weeks," said Joe Bagley, a city archaeologist. 

"This is actually highly unusual for Boston," said Vic Mastrone, an underwater archaeologist. "We know a lot of vessels were wrecked and abandoned and this is an abandoned vessel. But typically you don't find them in the fill tidelands. They're usually gone or they're not even noticed." 

Archeologists said the ship is in good condition because it has been buried in clay, which helped preserve it. They believe the ship may have been carrying lime and that it burned before it sank.

An archaeology team will be on the site for a few days studying the location, excavating, and taking samples and pictures. They might even take a 3D scan, but the wreck won't be removed. 

New York-based construction company Skanska USA is meeting with city officials to discuss the discovery.

The director of Secondary Education for the Torrington Public Schools has been arrested, accused of harassing another board of education employee.

Eric Baim, 41 of Southington, was arrested on Thursday and charged with second-degree breach of peace after a month-long investigation into the harassment complaint.

Police said an employee of the Torrington Board of Education assigned to the Torrington High School filed the complaint on April 27.

"The Torrington Public Schools administration recently learned of the arrest of Eric Baim. Mr. Baim has been on administrative leave since April 25, 2016. As this in an ongoing personnel matter, we will not and cannot comment on the circumstances surrounding Mr. Baim’s arrest at this time. We have and will continue to cooperate fully with the police on this matter," said the school's released statement.

Baim was released on a $2,500 non-surety bond and is scheduled to appear in Bantam Superior court on June 6.

Wethersfield police and state police are making an effort to get to know community members through an initiative called “Coffee with a Cop.”

Thursday was the first one and it was held at Chip’s Family Restaurant in Wethersfield.

It was an opportunity for police to talk with the public in a comfortable setting outside of a traffic stop or emergency situation.

"We in law enforcement are approachable. Unfortunately, there are some incidents that get national attention, but overall, we are all out here, trying to do a good job and we are here to help," State Police Trooper Chaun Jones said.

Trooper Jones said the questions he gets asked most often from the public are about the new body cameras his troop is testing out.

"How do I feel about it? Does it make my work harder or easier? And the answer is, it makes it a little easier. Most people, sometimes, if they are upset and they see the camera and realize they are being recorded, they bring it down a couple of notches," Jones said.

Jon Peetoskey traveled from Vernon to Wethersfield to speak with police and show them his support.

“I just want them to know they have my support as an old vet, sitting around here, doing a little bit of nothing but drinking coffee," Peetoskey said.

Art Karas, of Wethersfield, enjoyed talking with police in a low-key setting and said the recent incidents across the country have not changed the way he feels about police in Connecticut.

"It is very easy to take a single isolated event and blow it up so that it appears like it is a national trend, when I really in fact do not believe it is," Karas said.

This was the first time state troopers have held “Coffee with a Cop” and troopers said they plan to continue it in the future.

One person has been arrested after a woman was abducted in Meriden on Thursday morning. 

A detective sergeant who was on his way to work saw two men in an SUV with police-style lights pull a woman over on Nancy Lane, just off of North Colony Road, at 7:52 a.m., force her into the back seat of her own vehicle and drive off in the victim’s car, police said.

As the men drove off with the victim, the SUV they had been in followed, according to police.

While the men had sped off in the victim's car before more police came, the SUV was stopped and the driver, Chasity Marquez, was taken into custody. 

As more officers searched for the victim, the police station received a call about a woman on the ground, crying, around two miles away from the abduction site and police were able to determine she was the victim. 

While she was very visibly shaken and crying, she was not hurt, police said. She said the men had a gun and forced her from her car.

After asking other departments to be on the lookout for the victim’s car, Cheshire Police found it abandoned at a commuter parking lot, but they did not find any additional evidence.

Police are investigating and said this does not appear to be random and the motive appears to be a robbery.

Marques was charged with first-degree kidnapping, first-degree conspiracy to commit kidnapping, carjacking, conspiracy to commit carjacking and impersonating a police officer. Her bond was set at $250,000.