Naugatuck Man Arrested After Putting SpeedyDry in Boss' Food

A Naugatuck man was charged by Waterbury Police Wednesday with assault after he admitted putting Speedy Dry in his boss' oatmeal.

William Lampron, 43, of 7 Wood St., a former employee of the Waterbury Parks Department, said he placed the substance in his boss' oatmeal at that job because he was angry with the boss, a 50-year-old man who told police he was unhappy with Lampron's job performance, Waterbury Police stated in a news release.

The supervisor began experiencing severe stomach problems after eating the oatmeal, which he kept in a canister in his desk, police said.

"The supervisor checked the oatmeal and found what he believed to be SpeedyDry mixed in with the oats, and he suspected Lampron because he had been experiencing problems with Lampron over his standard of work," the news release states.

SpeedyDry is a granular substance used to soak up liquid spills such as water, oil and antifreeze. The amount of SpeedyDry ingested was not life threatening, but it can cause extreme intestinal distress when ingested and it does contain a known carcinogen, according to the news release. Police seized the laced oatmeal as part of the investigation.

Lampron was charged with second-degree assault and second-degree reckless endangerment. He turned himself into Waterbury Police Wednesday and was released on a $5,000 bond. He will appear at Waterbury Superior Court on Dec. 13.

Lampron had been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation but resigned shortly before his arrest, police said.