Branford Police Department
A 37-year-old West Haven man has been charged with robbery, unlawful restraint and strangulation in connection with a series of events in a room at Motel 6 in the early hours of New Years Day.
Christopher Pruitt, of 129 Park St., West Haven, was arrested on charges of assaulting and robbing two women and a man in their motel room. According to Officer Ryan Gotowala, who investigated the incident, Pruitt allegedly “robbed, assaulted and held the two women and a man captive.”
Lieutenant Patrick O’Malley, who commands the midnight shift, did not say in an official statement if Pruitt and his friend were guests at the motel or whether they somehow managed to bypass motel personnel and go unannounced to a specific room. Police did say, however, that Pruitt and his friend originally entered the room, uninvited, and held the two women and their male acquaintance captive while they were allegedly robbed and assaulted.
Police actually responded to the room twice, according to Capt. Geoffrey Morgan. The police first went to the Motel 6 room at about 4 a.m. on Dec.31, after someone made a 9 – 11 call and then hung up. During their initial response to the motel, which is located at 320 East Main St., the officers were told of a minor dispute. They left without taking any further action.
Then a second 911 call came in and at that point Officer Gotowala learned of the alleged robbery, assault and strangulation, police said. Gotowala also learned that Pruitt and his friend had not been invited to the Motel 6 room.
Gotowala arrested Pruitt and he was taken into custody; however, the man who originally entered the room with Pruitt had slipped out before the officers could talk with him. He has not been identified or arrested.
Pruitt was charged with three felonies, including robbery, strangulation and unlawful restraint along with several lesser charges. He was held on a $100,000 bond and was expected to be arraigned in New Haven Superior Court soon.
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