CT Woman Rammed 2 Cruisers, Led Troopers On Chase Before Crashing: Police

NORWICH, CT — An Old Saybrook woman rammed two cruisers with her vehicle and struck a gas pump before leading troopers on a chase that ended in a crash that she bolted from on Thursday, state police said.

The series of events unfolded just after 3 p.m., when troopers from Troop E in Montville saw a black Subaru Legacy, traveling eastbound on Route 2 in Bozrah, and a trooper saw the vehicle did not have a front license plate and was failing to maintain its lane, according to police.

An inquiry of the vehicle revealed the registered owner to be Electra Chiulli, 33, of Old Saybrook, and while following it, the trooper saw she was behind the wheel, police said.

The vehicle was also the subject of a previous "Be on the Lookout," or "BOLO" alert dispatched by Troop F in Westbrook around one week before for engaging Old Saybrook Police in a pursuit, police said, adding that dispatchers confirmed Chiulli had an active warrant for her arrest stemming from this previous incident.

The trooper continued to follow her vehicle until it stopped at a gas station on Route 97 in Norwich, and based on Chiulli's "known history" of engaging police in pursuit, a box-in technique was attempted to prevent her from leaving the scene, according to police.

Troopers began talking with Chiulli, who refused to get out of the vehicle, and based on her having a valid arrest warrant, a rear window was breached in an attempt to escort her out of the vehicle, police said, adding that at this point, she shifted the vehicle into reverse and revved the engine before accelerating forward into a cruiser, colliding with the driver's side.

Chiulli then accelerated backward and collided with a fuel pump in the gas station, and accelerated forward again, ramming a second cruiser, forcing her way past the vehicles and exiting the gas station parking lot, police said.

No injuries were sustained to any troopers or members of the public, according to police.

Chiulli drove away at a high rate of speed and proceeded onto I-395 North, failing to stop for lights and sirens, and leaving the highway at Exit 19, then continued on Route 169 and struck a guardrail while trying to turn left onto Strnad Road in Lisbon, police said, adding that Chiulli ran away.

Witnesses nearby reported Chiulli ran behind a home on Strnad Road, and a perimeter was established in the area of the accident, according to police.

With help from a Montville Police K-9 team, Chiulli was found under the deck of a home on Strnad Road, and was placed under arrest without further incident, police said.

Near where she was found, numerous bundles of suspected narcotics and narcotic paraphernalia were also found, according to police.

Chiulli has been charged with criminal attempt at assault on a public safety officer, a felony, and first-degree reckless endangerment and criminal mischief, as well as interfering with an officer, all misdemeanors.

Other charges include traffic infractions like improper number of marker plates and failure to maintain lane, and misdemeanor charges of reckless driving, engaging police in pursuit, and evading responsibility of a collision, as well as possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of a controlled substance.

Chiulli was taken to a local hospital for treatment and remains in the custody of state troopers.

She was issued a $500,000 bond, which she was unable to post, and was awaiting arraignment at Norwich Superior Court as of Friday.

It was not immediately clear if she has legal representation.