Driver Runs Over Officer’s Foot, Crashes Into Cruiser in Pursuit: Naugatuck PD

Police arrested a driver possible under the influence of drugs who led police on a pursuit in Naugatuck, running over an officer's foot and hitting another police cruiser, police said.

Misha Flores, 27, of Waterbury, is facing multiple charges including operating under the influence of drugs or alcohol and reckless driving.

A motorist flagged down a Naugatuck police officer at about 7 p.m. Friday near Maple and South streets on Friday night to report an erratic driver he said he knew and was following, police said. The person told police that the female driver might be under the influence of drugs or alcohol and that he was concerned she would hurt someone driving in that condition, according to police.

The officer followed the female driver in the red Lexus onto the Salem Bridge, traversed the median and almost collided head-on with another car as she drove erratically, police said. So, the driver turned on his emergency lights and siren and tried to pull her over, but the driver kept going, swerving in and out of the travel lane, police said. She was driving between 15 and 30 miles an hour in the direction of Cherry Street and Rubber Avenue, continuing onto Old Firehouse Road, police said.

The Naugatuck police officer tried to approach her vehicle when she briefly stopped on Maple Street, but she accelerated and ran over his foot, police said.

The driver kept going and took a right onto Church Street, almost striking an oncoming car. She hit another Naugatuck police car just past the Division Street intersection.

Police identified Flores as the driver and took her into custody. They charged her with operating under the influence of drugs or alcohol, reckless driving, engaging police in a pursuit, two counts of assault on an officer and two counts of interfering with an officer. Police also charged her with multiple motor vehicle violations.