A Torrington man is accused of hitting a Bloomfield police officer Monday morning and leading police on a chase from Bloomfield into West Hartford.
Bloomfield police tried to stop a 2006 Honda Accord driven by 37-year-old Rafaelito Ares, of Torrington, at Mountain Avenue and Regency Drive just before 11 a.m. Monday because of a misused license plate, according to police.
Officials said the driver kept going and hit a police officer who was standing next to the driver’s side door, knocking the officer to the ground.
Bloomfield Police followed Ares into West Hartford and West Hartford police put spike strips down on Ridgewood Road, which deflated the tires and ended the chase, Bloomfield police said.
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The Bloomfield police officer and Ares suffered minor injuries and did not to be transported to a hospital.
Ares was charged with assault of an officer or public safety official, assault in the second degree, interfering with an officer, carrying a dangerous weapon, weapons in a motor vehicle, operating while license privilege is suspended, operating without a license, reckless driving, engaging police in pursuit, evading responsibility resulting in physical injury, improper use of a marker plate and operating an unregistered motor vehicle.
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