A 31-year-old Waterbury man is hospitalized after police shot at him, then shot him with a Taser after the man tried to ram a police cruiser and pointed a weapon at law enforcement, police said.
Officers responded to a home on Old Waterbury Road in Southbury on Saturday to investigate a domestic complaint, but the suspect, identified as 31-year-old Tyler Santoro, of Southbury, had fled.
Charges are still pending, but police said Santoro will be charged in connection with a domestic incident that happened Aug. 30 and will be charged for allegedly stealing a neighbor's 2006 Chevrolet Blazer.
Police said Santoro was also in possession of a handgun. Waterbury police spotted the Blazer at 10:45 a.m. Monday and tried to pull it over, but police said Santoro got away.
Half an hour later, Trooper Tyler Spence, who was on patrol on Main Street in Woodbury, saw the stolen SUV, so he and a Woodbury police Officer Tim Wright tried to stop the vehicle and chased the man into Washington, where he crashed on Wykeham and Bell Hill roads, according to police.
Santoro then tried to ram the trooper and officer's vehicle, pointed a weapon at Spence and Wright and refused to drop it, police said.
Spence opened fire and Santoro took a knife and tried to cut his own neck, according to police. Spence then shot his Taser and police pulled Santoro from the stolen vehicle.
They provided emergency care for the neck injury and an ambulance transported Santoro to the Waterbury Hospital emergency room for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.
Spence and Wright sustained minor injuries during the crash and were taken to Saint Mary's Hospital. Both have since been released, according to police.
The State Police Central District Major Crime Squad is investigating with help from the Litchfield State's Attorney Office.
Spence has been assigned to administrative duties throughout the investigation, in accordance with department policy.
Police said Santoro was placed under state police guard at Waterbury Hospital. His has been set at $250,000, but police said he'll likely be charged in the police pursuit and use of force incident.
The case remains under investigation.
