Manchester

Driver Accused of Striking Judicial Marshals With Car in Manchester Upset With Treatment: Warrant

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The driver accused of striking two judicial marshals outside a Connecticut courthouse on Monday was upset over how a marshal treated him, an arrest warrant from Connecticut State Police revealed.

The warrant, released Wednesday, said the driver, Jose Lopez, told detectives he did not live that one of the marshals grabbed him by the arm at the courthouse and told him he could not leave because of an active arrest warrant.

Lopez, 42, told investigators he wanted to hurt the marshal but convinced himself this was "not the right thing to do," but he did not want to be arrested and have to deal with other marshals, according to the warrant.

Lopez initially was in court Monday on a misdemeanor larceny charge but had an active arrest warrant for a probation violation, police said.

After being told he had to wait and check in at the probation office, Lopez asked if he could leave the building to smoke but was not allowed to leave, the warrant states.

Lopez then ran out an emergency exit and into a white Toyota Yaris, which he had borrowed from his girlfriend in Massachusetts, police said.

A marshal, Sgt. Michael West, followed Lopez out of the building and ran up to the driver's side of the car trying to convince him "not to make anything worse for himself," according the warrant.

At least one other marshal, Officer Martin Brown, stood in front of Lopez's car when he began to drive out of the parking space.

Lopez said he inched the car forward to "show them he was not playing around" but when the marshals would not move, he accelerated through the parking lot and "did not look back," according to the warrant.

Lopez faces six charges, including first- and second-degree assault and assault on public safety personnel.

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