A Connecticut man is facing charges after he repeatedly slammed into a police cruiser while trying to flee the scene of a traffic stop in East Haven.
Police said they were called to Snipes on Foxon Road for a reported shoplifting that happened at 11:30 a.m. on Jan. 3.
Detectives in the area found the suspect vehicle and pulled it over on Bradley Street. The driver, a Torrington man, immediately reversed and slammed into a sergeant's car.
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That's when two other officers boxed the car in, but the man continued to ram both cruisers while trying to flee, according to authorities.
The man and a woman in the passenger seat were ultimately taken into custody. The man faces a slew of charges including interfering with an officer, assault on police, reckless endangerment, reckless driving and more. He is being held on a $100,000 bond.
Police went on to say that the man had 18 warrants out for his arrest issued from several police agencies.
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The woman in the passenger seat faces charges including larceny, conspiracy to commit larceny and interfering with an officer. She is being held on a $2,500 bond.
In a statement, House Republican Leader Vincent Candelora, state Rep. Joe Zullo and state Sen. Paul Cicarella said these arrests "describe the danger faced by law enforcement professionals on a daily basis."
"That an individual with nearly two dozen active arrest warrants and multiple pending court cases is roaming freely is an indictment on the catch and release mentality that has infected policymaking and courtroom decisions. This incident could have very easily resulted in an officer or member of the public getting injured—or worse," the statement reads.
