2 CT Men Accused Of Stealing Car, Having Illegal Weapons

SCARSDALE, NY — Two Connecticut men were accused of having illegal weapons — a submachine gun and a semiautomatic handgun — after a stolen vehicle fled from Westchester County Police Monday.

One man was taken into custody immediately when he ran from the stolen car in Mount Vernon. The other was captured in Scarsdale after an hours-long search involving multiple law enforcement agencies.

Authorities said the incident began about 1:35 p.m. when the Real Time Crime Center notified patrol units that a stolen black Audi was traveling near the Pelham-Mount Vernon border. A county police officer canvassed the area and located the stolen car on East Sandford Boulevard.

When the two men saw the police vehicle approaching, the Audi abruptly turned into Union Avenue where the passenger jumped out and sprinted away, dropping a semi-automatic handgun as he did. The man was captured after a chase on foot with the assistance of Mount Vernon police officers.

Knowing that the Audi had been reported stolen from Westport, Connecticut, a county police officer anticipated the potential path of the suspect vehicle and set up on the northbound side of the Hutchinson River Parkway.

A short time later, the officer said he saw the Audi being driven recklessly, weaving in and out of traffic. As he caught up to it, the stolen car sideswiped a motorist near the Weaver Street exit.

The officer stopped to help the occupants of the struck vehicle who suffered minor injuries.

Other responding officers located the Audi abandoned near the Mamaroneck Road exit in Scarsdale.

A check of the vehicle revealed a “MAC-10” style submachine gun with an extended magazine on the back seat. The submachine gun, and the Ruger handgun recovered in Mount Vernon, were later determined to be stolen.

Multiple police agencies responded to search for the second suspect, including the Scarsdale Police Department, Town of Mamaroneck Police Department, New Rochelle Police Department, MTA Police Department and members of the FBI Safe Streets Task Force. Westchester County Police also deployed its Aviation Unit helicopter, its tactical team (known formally as the Special Response Team) and a tracking canine/bloodhound.

With assistance from a golf foursome playing at a nearby club, officers were able to obtain a more detailed description of the suspect, including that he didn't have any shoes on. They also reported that the man had fled into a wooded area east of the parkway.

With help from Westchester County Emergency Management personnel, an incident command post was set up as multiple officers flooded the area for a search.

Scarsdale Police Chief Andrew Matturro and Town of Mamaroneck Police Chief Paul Creazzo were instrumental at the command post, providing officers with help establishing a perimeter and putting out information to residents in the adjacent neighborhoods. That proved valuable later in the evening when a Scarsdale resident spotted a shoeless man in his neighborhood and promptly called the police. Scarsdale police found the suspect and took him into custody.

Westchester County Police charged Jariel Agron, 19, and Jose Garcia, 18, both of New Britain, Connecticut, with second- and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon and fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property.

Additional charges are likely, police said.

The men were held overnight at County Police headquarters in Hawthorne pending arraignment Tuesday in Mount Vernon City Court.