VIDEO: Fleeing Shoplifting Suspect Uses Car To Ram Police Cruisers: PD

EAST HAVEN, CT —A fleeing shoplifting suspect repeatedly rammed police cars as officers tried to "boxed in" the driver in an attempt to stop the vehicle on Foxon Road Wednesday morning, police said.

It was around 11:30 a.m., when officers were called to Snipes at 684 Foxon Road for the report of a shoplifting incident, according to East Haven police Capt. Joseph M. Murgo, the department's spokesperson.

A radio broadcast of the suspects and the vehicle they fled in was provided to responding units, Murgo said. East Haven detectives Jon Trinh and Fred Sego were in the area and located the suspect vehicle pulled onto the shoulder of Bradley Street by Bellman Street, Murgo said. At this time, Sgt. John Finnimore and officers Dean Bibens and Anthony Fiorillo "converged on the suspect vehicle attempting a motor vehicle stop."

The driver, later identified as Nelson Vidro, 45, of Torrington, "immediately reversed, slamming into Finnimore’s cruiser, Murgo said. Meanwhile, Bibens and Fiorillo then boxed Vidro, Murgo said, as he "continued ramming cruisers attempting to flee."

With the help of Sego, and Trinh, both Vidro and his passenger Nadine Inorio, 38, of West Haven, were taken into custody, police said.

Vidro, who had 18 arrest warrants issued from various police agencies, was charged with a number of motor vehicle infractions, and:

• Conspiracy to Commit Larceny in the Fifth Degree
• Interfering with an Officer
• Assault on Police
• Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree
• Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
• Reckless Driving
• Failure to Obey Officer Signal

He was held on a $100,000 bond for the on-site arrest and appeared in court Thursday.

Inorio was charged with:

• Larceny in the Fifth Degree
• Interfering with an Officer
• Conspiracy to Commit Larceny in the Fifth Degree

Inorio was held on a $2,500 surety bond and appeared in court Thursday.

Late Thursday, state House Republican Leader Vincent Candelora, state Rep. Joe Zullo and state Sen. Paul Cicarella, all of whom represent East Haven in the state legislature, issued a statement on the incident, and arrest.

"This serious situation in Foxon described by East Haven police today not only describes the danger faced by law enforcement professionals on a daily basis, but also the shortcomings of a criminal justice system that Democrats in the legislature insist is working just fine. 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. We continue to marvel at the great work from officers such as those in East Haven, but at some point, the people who control the levers of state government must impose measures of accountability expected and deserved by residents across Connecticut who are beyond frustrated by brazen crimes in their communities. Thanks again to East Haven Police for putting themselves in harm’s way and resolving this dangerous situation.”