CT teenagers ram patrol car with stolen car and cause second accident

Two teenagers arrested Tuesday are accused of hitting a patrol car in Southington with a stolen vehicle and causing another accident before one of them fled on foot, triggering a police search near the Plainville city limits, police said.

Shortly before 8:50 p.m., officers received a report from a FLOCK license plate reader that a vehicle reported stolen in Bristol had entered Southington, according to Captain James Armack of the Southington Police Department.

Officers found the vehicle, a white 2013 Hyundai Elantra, on the side of the road in the area of ​​West Queen and Newell streets. As police approached, the driver of the stolen car allegedly accelerated forward “severely” and struck a patrol car, Armack said. Damage was minor because the vehicle had recently been fitted with a grille guard.

According to Armack, the stolen vehicle was allegedly driving recklessly and turned left onto Queen Street. Police did not pursue the incident.

The Elantra continued to drive quickly onto Queen Street, where it allegedly ran a red light at the intersection with River Street and collided with a Mercedes SUV, Armack said. The Mercedes driver turned from River Street onto Queen Street. Both vehicles sustained heavy damage and their airbags deployed.

The officers went to the scene of the accident and found that the driver of the Mercedes had suffered minor injuries. The driver did not have to go to the hospital.

Police ordered the two occupants of the Elantra to exit the vehicle, and one of them surrendered, Armack said. The other fled on foot north toward Plainville, according to Armack.

The Southington Police Department's drone unit and tracking dog “Tank” began searching for the suspect while Plainville Police Department members helped set up a perimeter. The suspect was eventually located behind a business on Birch Drive and taken into custody.

One of the suspects, a 17-year-old male, faces charges of obstructing police, theft of a motor vehicle, third-degree theft, conspiracy to assault a public safety officer, assault on a public safety officer, first-degree criminal damage to property, reckless endangerment, reckless driving, evading responsibility resulting in personal injury and failure to obey a traffic signal.

The other suspect, a 16-year-old boy, is charged with obstructing police, third-degree theft and conspiracy to assault a public safety officer.

Armack said both teens were taken to the Hartford Juvenile Detention Center after officers were granted a warrant for their arrest.

Originally published: August 21, 2024 at 9:36 am