North Haven Woman Arrested After K9 Quella Alerts to Drugs in Welfare Check

North Haven Woman Arrested After K9 Alerts to Drugs in Vehicle on Washington Avenue

A 34-year-old North Haven woman was arrested Thursday after police responding to a welfare check on an unresponsive vehicle found narcotics in her personal belongings following a K9 alert.

Pamela Fudala was charged with possession of a controlled substance after the March 14, 2026 incident on Washington Avenue. North Haven police were dispatched to the area after receiving a report of a male and female inside a vehicle appearing to be unresponsive.

How the Arrest Unfolded

When officers arrived at Washington Avenue, they observed signs of impairment in Fudala and asked both occupants of the vehicle to exit. K9 Quella was deployed to conduct an exterior sniff of the vehicle. The K9 alerted to the presence of narcotics, prompting officers to conduct a search of the vehicle.

The search turned up illegal narcotics located in Fudala's personal belongings. She was taken into custody and charged with possession of a controlled substance. The specific substances found were not publicly identified in law enforcement reports. The male occupant of the vehicle was not reported to have been charged.

North Haven Police and K9 Operations

The North Haven Police Department uses K9 units as part of its standard law enforcement operations. Trained police dogs are routinely deployed during vehicle stops, welfare checks, and drug investigations to conduct exterior sniffs — a procedure that courts have generally upheld as constitutional without a warrant when performed in a public area.

North Haven is a town of approximately 24,000 residents in New Haven County. Washington Avenue is one of the town's principal corridors, running through residential and commercial areas.

Fudala is one of several Connecticut residents arrested in narcotics-related incidents following welfare check responses in recent months. Welfare checks — calls for police to check on the safety of an individual — account for a significant share of daily police activity in many Connecticut towns. When officers arrive and observe signs of drug impairment, K9 units may be deployed as part of routine procedure.

Case Status

As of March 14, 2026, no court date had been publicly scheduled for Fudala's case. No additional statements from the North Haven Police Department or legal representation for Fudala were available at the time of publication.

Connecticut law treats possession of a controlled substance as a criminal offense, with penalties varying based on the type and quantity of substance involved. First-time possession charges may be eligible for drug education programs or diversionary programs under state law.

Anyone with information about this or related incidents is encouraged to contact the North Haven Police Department at 8 Linsley Street, North Haven.

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