State police said a trooper was injured and five individuals were arrested after an incident at the Tolland Green Saturday afternoon.
The incident happened at approximately 3 p.m. and prompted a heavy police presence, according to troopers.
State police responded to two 911 calls regarding several suspects trying to steal cars in the areas of Kozley Road and Williams Way.
One of the callers told police that someone was attempting a burglary in his garage and they pulled a firearm on him when approached.
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Police then confirmed that the suspect was operating a stolen car out of Newington. A trooper observed the stolen vehicle and tried to follow it but they fled at a high speed, through the intersection of Old Stafford and Dunn Hill and south onto the Tolland Green.
State police said the trooper was intentionally struck head-on by one of the suspects. An NBC Connecticut crew at the scene saw a state trooper vehicle with both passenger side doors completely caved in.
Five people then fled from the stolen vehicle on foot. A state trooper and his K-9 chased the driver on foot, according to police.
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During the chase, one of the suspects, who police identified as 18-year-old Malik Price, threw a handgun on the ground. The K-9 and officer were able to reach Price and he was then arrested.
A short time later, the K-9 was able to find a second suspect, a 15-year-old, in the woods approximately a quarter-mile from the crash scene, police said.
Police said the other three suspects, including 18-year-old Jashawn Jackson, were located a short time later hiding in a shed at a house on Torry Road.
The trooper that was injured was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment but has since been released. They are conscious and alert, according to police.
Price faces charges including assault on a public safety officer, reckless driving, criminal use of a weapon, first degree threatening, first degree reckless endangerment, and first degree larceny. He is being held on a $500,000 bond.
All five individuals arrested are expected to be arraigned on Feb. 22.
Nearby residents said they were asked to secure in place at the time of the incident.
"It was a phone call saying that there was an incident in the neighborhood and there were armed people running around and to stay inside your house, lock your doors," said Jodi Coleman-Marzialo, of Tolland.
A person we spoke with said he saw some of the incident as he looked out his home office.
"There were maybe 10 to 15 police cruisers just with their lights on, a lot of commotion, a lot of people running around. A lot of people shouting," said Jim Hutton, of Tolland.
Several state troopers and first responders were at the scene investigating on Saturday.
The Tolland Green was closed between Torry Road and Tolland Stage Road but has since reopened.
