Allan Appel File Photo
A crash sent the city’s top patrol cop to the hospital — and a fugitive to jail.
Lt. Luiz Casanova (pictured in file photo) suffered a neck fracture in the crash Friday night. He has since been released from Yale-New Haven Hospital, where he received treatment.
The incident began around 10:21 p.m. Friday. Here’s what happened, according to mayoral spokesman Adam Joseph:
Police went to Grafton Street in Fair Haven to investigate a reported shooting. The alleged shooter had fled. They went looking for him.
They learned that the suspect happened to be a fugitive they’ve been seeking for weeks: Wilfredo “Freddy” Franco. Franco was already wanted on a warrant in connection with a July 23 shooting. Police thought they caught him recently, then lost him, in an earlier chase, on Aug. 2.
Around 11:10 Friday night they found the car he was supposedly driving, parked outside the Tee-Off Cafe at Grand and East Pearl. They “established a perimeter.” Meanwhile, Franco came out of the bar and got in his car. He allegedly disobeyed a command to stop — instead driving away, and leading the police on another chase.
The chase ended at Ferry Street and Saltonstall Avenue, when Franco allegedly crashed into Casanova’s police car. Cops arrested Franco and said they found a loaded .22 caliber handgun in his car.
Friday night police caught up with the second of two suspect they’d been seeking to arrest in connection with Wednesday night’s shooting death of 16-year-old Sean Reeves during a melee at George and Day Streets. They found this suspect hiding in a Milford hotel. Milford police helped make the arrest. Police arrested the 25-year-old man they believe fired the fatal bullet that night; for now he’s been charged with carrying a pistol without a permit, reckless endangerment in the first degree, and unlawful discharge.
Police arrive the 25-year-old man they arrested fired the fatal bullet that night
huh?
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