Man Arrested On Gun Charges After Crashing Stolen Car: West Haven PD

WEST HAVEN, CT — A New Haven man faces several charges after West Haven police said he crashed a vehicle that was stolen out of Stratford, and ditched a “ghost gun” in the woods while running from officers.

A second suspect ran away and wasn’t apprehended, according to police.

The incident happened around 5:50 p.m. on Sept. 29 when a West Haven patrol officer saw a 2016 Lexus that was stolen out of Stratford traveling north on Forest Road. The officer tried to conduct a motor vehicle stop, but police said the driver accelerated in an attempt to flee.

Police later learned that a vehicle matching the description of the stolen Lexus struck a Fairfield police cruiser and then “intentionally drove at the Fairfield Police officer, almost striking the officer who was out of the vehicle at the time earlier in the day,” according to police.

The Lexus drove west on Derby Avenue and entered into Orange, police said. A second officer was in the area and saw the Lexus stopped on the side of the road.

“The officer believed that the vehicle was now abandoned, and the operator was possibly on foot so he approached the vehicle to make sure,” police wrote in a news release. “At that time, the operator was still inside the Lexus and accelerated back into West Haven.

“The Lexus slowed down and was now caught up in traffic. An officer was preemptively positioned nearby and deployed ‘Stop Sticks,’ which were successful in flattening the tires. The Lexus again attempted to flee from the police but when they attempted to pass another vehicle, they lost control and struck a pole on Derby Ave.”

As an officer approached the Lexus, which was inoperable, police said they saw two men run from the Lexus and a third female individual still inside the car. The female inside the car was later determined to be a juvenile, according to police.

Police chased the two men who ran away.

“One officer reported that the individual he was chasing was grabbing at his waistband, removed a handgun, and threw it on the ground in the woods,” police wrote. “This officer was able to catch up to this male and take him into custody without further incident. The gun that was discarded was found in the wooded area and seized. It turned out to be a loaded 9 mm “Ghost Gun” with one round in the chamber.”

The man was identified as 18-year-old Chavis Goldson of New Haven, according to police.

Goldson was arrested and charged with carrying a pistol without a permit, illegal manufacturing of a firearm, weapon in a motor vehicle, interfering with an officer, larceny of a motor vehicle, engaging officers in pursuit, and risk of injury to a minor. He was being held in lieu of a $150,000 bond with a court date of Oct. 31, according to state judicial records.

Police said the second man got away and the juvenile female was taken to a local hospital for her injuries.