Hamden Police captured a West Haven man wanted by another municipality Saturday afternoon after a pursuit and foot chase where the suspect allegedly tossed bags of crack cocaine after striking a cop with his car.
It all started at about 3 p.m., according to Hamden Police spokesman Capt. Ronald Smith, when police got a tip from the New Haven Shooting Task Force that a possible suspect allegedly involved in a violent felony in another city was at a Dixwell Avenue service station, Smith said. The Hamden Police Department has an officer assigned to the Task Force, Smith said.
"Moments later, Officer Michael Nawrocki located the motor vehicle, which was traveling southbound on Bowen Street...and subsequently attempted to conduct a motor vehicle stop," Smith said.
The car, operated by Levon Sowell, 34, of 380 Meloy Road, West Haven, pulled over, Smith said, but then swerved left and took off, hitting a police car driven by Sgt. Michael Doherty.
"Sowell engaged officers in pursuit on Sherman Parkway. The vehicle came to rest after strikinga fence in the area of Ward Street," Smith said.
Sowell then got out and took off through several backyards, Smith said, and was eventually caught by Nawrocki’s K-9 partner “Hank” on Ward Street.
"As “Hank” was detaining him, Sowell was observed throwing several bags of crack cocaine from his waistband. Upon re-tracing the path of the foot pursuit, officers found several additional bags of crack cocaine," Smith said. "In addition, officers located a fully loaded semi-automatic handgun inside of Sowell’s vehicle.
During the course of the investigation, officers learned that Sowell was on parole."
Sowell was charged with criminal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm without a permit, assault on a police officer, possession of narcotics, possession of narcotics with intent to sell, interfering with a police officer and engaging an officer in pursuit.
Sowell was held in lieu of $150,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in Meriden Superior Court on May17.
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