Naugatuck Woman Arrested After Police Pursuit From NY To CT: State PD

NAUGATUCK, CT — A Naugatuck woman was arrested Tuesday afternoon following a police chase from New York into Connecticut, according to state police.

In a news release, state police said a Putnam County Sheriff's Deputy tried to stop a black Infiniti QX60 with Connecticut registration on Interstate 84 east in the town of Southeast, N.Y., around 3 p.m. after the deputy noticed the vehicle had a cracked windshield and the registration was invalid.

The Infiniti and its driver and passenger were also known to law enforcement as suspects in a series of retail thefts that had occurred in New York, according to state police.

When the deputy tried to stop the driver, later identified as Courtney Calvo, 33, of Naugatuck, she did not stop and accelerated at a high rate of speed, weaving in and out of traffic and nearly striking other vehicles, as well as the deputy's cruiser, according to state police.

At one point, the Infiniti slowed and stopped on the right shoulder of the highway, where another deputy deployed a tire deflation device and successfully deflated the driver's side tires, state police said.

As the Infiniti crossed into Connecticut, Calvo continued driving erratically and nearly collided with the deputy's cruiser. When they finally brought the vehicle to a stop, Calvo attempted to reverse, nearly striking the deputy in the process, according to state police.

The Putnam County Sheriff's Department contacted Troop A - Southbury for assistance as the vehicle was crossing into Connecticut from New York on I-84 eastbound, state police said.

A trooper responded to the area and spotted several Putnam County Sheriff's Department cruisers with flashing lights and sirens slowly following the Infiniti near exit 6 in Danbury.

The deputies successfully and safely boxed in the Infiniti on the right shoulder near exit 8 just as the trooper arrived on scene. Once the vehicle was safely stopped, Calvo and a passenger were removed without incident and detained in handcuffs, state police said.

According to state police, Calvo's license privilege was found to be under suspension and the Infiniti was observed to have been driving on damaged driver's side rims with the tires completely worn down, "indicating [Calvo] was knowingly operating the vehicle with defective equipment."

Throughout the investigation, the trooper confirmed the Infiniti was not registered, nor did it meet minimum insurance requirements, and the displayed Connecticut registration was invalid, state police said.

During the investigation, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office completed an arrest warrant application for Calvo, which was approved for extradition. The passenger was later released from the scene, according to state police.

Calvo was taken into Connecticut State Police custody and transported to Troop A for processing.

She was charged with failure to renew registration, improper use of registration, illegal operation of a motor vehicle while under suspension, reckless driving, failure to insure private motor vehicle, second-degree reckless endangerment, interfering with an officer and fugitive from justice.

Calvo was assigned a $500,000 bond, which she was unable to post, and was scheduled to appear in court for arraignment Wednesday, according to state police.