The man police said ran down an 43-year-old East Haven man in a parking lot Monday morning was in court Tuesday, where his bond was set at $750,000.
The bizarre hit-and-run seems to have begun with a big fight in the parking lot of the Overbrook School on Gerrish Avenue around 1:30 a.m. Monday, police said.
At some point during the fight, Jehiel Ayala, 21, of, Meriden, drove at the crowd of people and hit the father of one of the teens who was there, police said.
The victim was taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital, where he remains in critical condition with a serious head injury, according to court information.
After hitting the man, Ayala fled, police said. Police caught up with him a couple towns away and arrested him.
Ayala was charged with first-degree assault, evading responsibility, reckless driving, first-degree reckless endangerment, tampering with evidence and second-degree breach of peace.
In court, the public defender asked for a bond of $100,000 and the prosecutor asked for $1 million. The judge decided on $750,000. He is due back in court on June 9.
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Police also arrested Thomas Ayala, 19, of East Haven, and a 16-year-old East Haven resident. Both were charged with second-degree breach of Peace for the initial fight and were released on $1,000 bond. They are due in court on June 3 in New Haven.
