Police Charge New London Man With Transporting Narcotics, Assaulting Officers

The New London Police Department charged a man with transporting narcotics and violently resisting arrest on Sunday evening.

Kenneth Barnhill, 28, of 94 Truman Street, was charged with three counts of assault on a police officer, two counts each of possession of narcotics and possession of narcotics with intent to sell, interfering with police, and risk of injury to a minor.

Deputy Chief Peter Reichard said the department received information that Barnhill was transporting narcotics and pulled the vehicle over on Truman Street at about 10:42 p.m. He said officers arrested Barnhill after seeing him drop narcotics on the vehicle's floor.

Reichard said Barnhill resisted arrest and that officers were unable to use pepper spray to subdue him because a young child was in the car. He said a police sergeant used a Taser on Barnhill in the arrest and that no one was injured.

A passenger in the vehicle, 18-year-old Jordan Rodriguez of 237 Ledyard Street, was also arrested in the incident and charged with interfering with police and possession of less than half an ounce of marijuana.

Barnhill was previously convicted of third-degree assault, second-degree breach of peace, and interfering with police in 2003; possession of less than four ounces of marijuana in 2009; and interfering with police in 2011 and 2012, according to his Connecticut criminal history record.