A police cruiser slipped and landed in the Bladens River on Kerite Manufacturing Company property in Seymour while an officer was chasing a suspect who fled the scene of a minor car accident, police said.
While investigating a small car accident at the Henny Penny Convenience Store at the intersection of Route 67 and Day Street, Officer Dedrick Wilcox learned that a person involved in the crash was also wanted in a domestic violence assault case. The man fled the scene on foot to avoid being arrested.
Wilcox chased the man in his car, but when the man ran onto the Kerite peroperty, there reached a point where the cruiser couldn't go any further.
While trying to turn around, the police car slipped and slid into the Bladens River down an embankment.The small river is on property privately owned by Kerite, which makes electric cables, police said.
Wilcox climbed out of the cruiser onto the hood of the car, which was partially submerged in six feet of water and waited until a rescue team helped him get back to land. He made it to shore safely and uninjured.
The police car, however, was destroyed in the accident and the town will have to replace it, police said.
Seymour police know the identity of the fleeing suspect, but said that he's still at large. Officers are still searching for him and additional charges are pending.
Local
A photo taken by the Valley Independent Sentinel and shared with NBC Connecticut shows a police cruiser with its lights on partially submerged in the water and police SUV on scene parked on the adjacent road.
More information will be provided when it becomes available.
