State Police Aircraft Tracks 120 MPH Driver From Southington Before Crash In Glastonbury

GLASTONBURY, CT — A state police aircraft tracked a driver from Southington who was barreling along a stretch of highway at 120 mph before crashing in Glastonbury, authorities said.

On Tuesday, at approximately 10:50 a.m., a trooper assigned to the Traffic Services Unit was patrolling I-91 northbound prior to exit 23 in Rocky Hill, according to an incident report. The trooper observed a gray Dodge Avenger sedan pass using the right lane and right-center lane at a high rate of speed, according to an incident report.

The trooper subsequently caught up with the Avenger and clocked its speed by speedometer at 95 mph in a posted 65 mph zone, according to an incident report.

The trooper activated the cruiser's emergency lights and siren to initiate a traffic stop, and the driver reduced his speed to between 20 and 30 mph and began to stop in the left lane, according to an incident report. The trooper had to halt traffic while advising the driver to pull over to the right shoulder, according to an incident report.

The driver moved to the shoulder, but then accelerated shortly thereafter in an attempt to flee the traffic stop, according to an incident report.

The State Police Aviation Unit was able to monitor the car by air and it had now reached a speed of 120 mph.

The Avenger was then observed exiting I-91 northbound via exit 25 to Route 3 toward Glastonbury and the aircraft crew then saw it crash into another vehicle and a concrete barrier, according to an incident report.

No injuries were reported and the driver operator was taken into custody without incident shortly after the collision.

He was identified as Tyler Marandino, 22, of Southington. Marandino was transported to Troop H, where he was charged with reckless driving, disobeying the signal of an officer and second-degree reckless endangerment, state police said.