A car went into the air, hit a house in West Hartford and caught fire Tuesday morning while fleeing from police, police said. Three people who were in the car were taken to the hospital.
Around 6 a.m., Hartford Police contacted West Hartford Police and told them they were pursuing an Infiniti with Massachusetts plates into West Hartford on New Britain Avenue, West Hartford police said.
Hartford police said the vehicle, an Infiniti M35 with Massachusetts plates, was sought in connection with a shooting on Addison Street on Sunday as well as dozens of car break-ins and catalytic converter thefts in several towns in the past week.
Hartford police said Tuesday that the person who was shot on Addison Street was the victim of a car break-in and he was shot when he approached the people who were breaking into the car.
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Hartford Police alerted area police to be on the lookout.
Then, on Monday, a vehicle with the same description was involved in the attempted theft of a catalytic converter from a car parked on Farmington Avenue in West Hartford and an officer on patrol interrupted the theft and the vehicle fled, police said.
After being alerted about the pursuit Tuesday morning,
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West Hartford Police set up tire deflation devices and assisted Hartford police when the vehicle got to New Park Avenue.
The driver was speeding and lost control in the area of Jefferson Avenue, went off the road, hit some large rocks in a parking lot and went airborne, police said.
The vehicle took down telephone wires and a utility pole before hitting a parked vehicle and a house before catching fire at New Park Avenue and Darcy Street, police said.
Officers who were at the scene before firefighters arrived were able to get the people out of the vehicle through the doors, they added.
Since the car fire was close to a home, crews put out the flames and then went inside the building and made sure the occupants were safe, according to authorities.
All of the gas to the building has been shut down and Eversource shut down the power, firefighters said. There is damage to windows of the home, but officials said the building is safe for occupancy.
Hartford police said the three people in the vehicle were taken into custody and transport to area hospitals to be treated for injuries and they are in stable condition.
Police said a stolen firearm was found in the vehicle. Charges are pending and officers are investigating.
The Hartford Police Major Crimes Unit is investigating while the West Hartford Police Department’s Accident Reconstruction Team is investigating the crash.
Anyone with any information is asked to call the Hartford police tip line at 860-722-TIPS (8477).
