Driver In Stolen Car Strikes 9 Vehicles On I-91 In North Haven: Police

NORTH HAVEN, CT — A driver in a stolen vehicle is accused of striking nine vehicles, including several police cruisers, while trying to elude police on I-91 in North Haven on Saturday night, according to Connecticut State Police.

Police said Troop H in Hartford was notified around 7:45 p.m. on Feb. 1 by Massachusetts State Police of a stolen vehicle traveling south on I-91 into Connecticut. Massachusetts State Police said that the vehicle failed to stop for their troopers and the pursuit was terminated before the state line.

The stolen vehicle, described as a green 1999 Toyota Corolla bearing Massachusetts registration plates, was seen traveling south on I-91.

Police said that since the driver failed to stop for Massachusetts State Police, Connecticut State Troopers initially followed the vehicle without lights or sirens activated.

As troopers began to approach the boundary of the Troop I area on I-91, police said it was learned that troopers from Troop I were on scene with a motor vehicle accident near Exit 10 that had all three travel lanes completely shut down.

“Utilizing the congestion ahead to prevent the suspect from fleeing, Troop H personnel attempted to box in the stolen vehicle prior to exit 10,” police wrote in a news release. “Upon doing so, the operator began driving evasively, swerving around the Troop H cruisers. A Troop I unit was staged ahead in the right shoulder, prior to the stopped traffic.

“Upon approaching the stopped traffic ahead, Troop H units utilized their cruisers across all three lanes to block in the stolen vehicle. Troopers exited their cruisers and gave verbal commands for the operator to exit, to which he refused. The operator of the stolen vehicle subsequently drove in reverse and struck multiple stopped vehicles, including two Troop H cruisers. The operator then put the vehicle back into drive and drove into the right shoulder, striking the parked Troop I cruiser and another vehicle stopped in traffic in the right lane. The Troop I unit immediately followed and activated their emergency lights and siren signaling the operator to stop. The operator continued to disobey signals to stop and cut into traffic from the right shoulder, colliding with other stopped vehicles in continued efforts to elude capture.”

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Police said that due to the slow-moving traffic that the driver entered, a stop stick was successfully deployed on the driver side front tire of the Corolla.

“The Corolla eventually became grid locked between the left lane and metal beam guardrail along the center median,” police wrote.

The driver got out of the vehicle and tried to run toward the median, according to police.

“One of the Troop H units on scene deployed K9 Nash, who successfully apprehended the suspect,” police wrote. “The K9 bite caused the suspect to lose his balance and fall to the ground, at which time he was arrested by Troopers on scene.”

The suspect, who was later identified as 43-year-old Rolando Garcia of Holyoke, Massachusetts, was taken to an area hospital for minor injuries sustained from the K9 bite, according to police.

Police said no injuries were reported among the nine vehicles struck by Garcia.

Garcia’s Massachusetts driver’s license was found to be under suspension, according to police.

Garcia was arrested and charged with nine counts of first-degree reckless endangerment, and one count each of reckless driving, disobeying signal of an officer, improper passing/unsafe distance, passing on the right, failure to maintain proper lane- limited access highway, illegal operation of a motor vehicle without license, larceny of a motor vehicle, and interfering with an officer/resisting.

Garcia was held in lieu of a $150,000 bond and was scheduled to appear in court on Monday.