Girls 15, 17, Man, 19, Charged After Hitting Cop Car In Stolen SUV: PD

EAST HAVEN, CT —One adult and two juveniles were arrested after being in possession of a stolen car that struck officers while attempting to flee, police said.

It was just before 11 p.m., East Haven police officer Joe DiNatale, who was on routine patrol, observed a Kia Sorrento pass by him on River Street headed towards Main Street, spokesperson Capt. Joseph M. Murgo said. A check of the vehicle’s registration confirmed the vehicle had been reported stolen out of Waterbury, Nov. 14, Murgo said.

DiNatale continued to follow the vehicle on Main Street until other officers to the area, Murgo said, and they then tried to make a car stop. There were four people in the vehicle, he noted. The driver of the stolen SUV, later identified as Douglas Cross, 19, of Waterbury, "struck the front end of a police cruiser in an attempt to flee the scene," Murgo said.

Cross then continued north on Hemingway Avenue and led officers on a brief pursuit before pulling over briefly on Harrington Avenue to let two juvenile occupants out of the vehicle, Murgo said. The two girls, one 15 the other 17, were immediately taken into custody without further incident, police said. Cross then continued on and eventually parked in a parking lot in the area of 686 Main St., Murgo said. Cross got out of the Kia and took off, leading officers in a foot pursuit which ended in the rear yard of a residence on Terrace Street in New Haven.

The fourth person, who also fled the vehicle on foot, was not caught, Murgo said.

Cross was charged with first-degree criminal trover, larceny of a motor vehicle, conspiracy to commit larceny of a motor vehicle, assault on a public safety officer, interfering with an officer/resisting arrest, and evading responsibility. He was held on a $20,000 bond and appeared in court Monday.

The female juveniles were charged with larceny of a motor vehicle and conspiracy to commit larceny of a motor vehicle. One was also charged with possession of burglar tools. Both appeared in court Monday and were turned over to their guardians.

No injuries were reported during this incident, Murgo said.