A Hartford man is accused of trying to assault an off-duty Hartford police officer after a car crash, running from police and having drugs in his possession.
Police responded to Broad and Mountford streets at 8:45 p.m. on Thursday after receiving a report that an off-duty officer was being assaulted and obtained a description of the vehicle the assailant was in.
According to police, the suspect, Joshua Suarez, 28, of Hartford, had gotten into a crash with the officer and became enraged when the off-duty officer identified himself as a Hartford police officer and approached him, enraged, police said.
When the officer asked Suarez to calm down, he tried to punch the off-duty officer several times, but the officer dodged the attempts and was able to call 911 for assistance, police said.
For some reason, the officer lost contact with Hartford dispatchers.
But as Hartford Police patrol officers arrived in the area, they saw a vehicle matching the description heading southbound on Broad Street, and tried to stop it, but Suarez kept going, police said.
Soon after, Suarez hit two parked cars on Franklin Avenue and ran, so a Hartford patrol supervisor chased him.
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After a struggle, police put Suarez in handcuffs and said he had several bags of suspected crack cocaine, packaged for sale, in his car.
Police found the off-duty officer and determined that he was the victim of motor vehicle accident with Suarez, police said.
The off-duty officer identified the driver as the man who attempted to assault him, and stuck his personal vehicle, police said.
Suarez was placed under arrest and transported to Hartford Hospital for medical treatment, then to Hartford Police Booking.
Suarez, who police said has a prior record, was charged with failure to maintain lane, evading responsibility, second-degree breach of peace, criminal attempt to assault a police officer, reckless driving, engaging police in a pursuit, possession of narcotics, possession with intent to sell, possession within 1,500 feet of a school, unregistered motor vehicle, misuse of number plate and insufficient insurance.
