When a Lexus sped away from him, Officer David Totino ran the plate, and found it belonged on a different car. Soon he had a wanted man in handcuffs.
Here’s what happened, according to police spokesman Officer David Hartman:
At 6:47 p.m. on Monday, Officer Totino was on patrol George Street and Sherman Avenue in West River when he saw a Lexus speed away as he drew near. He checked the plate and found that it was on the wrong car. Totino followed the car. He tried to pull it over.
When the car’s occupants bailed out of the vehicle, Officer Totino chased the driver on foot. He caught him.
They struggled as Totino tried to put the handcuffs on. Totino won out in the end, and arrested the 28-year-old. He is a convicted felon and “parole absconder” who had outstanding warrants from New Haven and Waterbury. He had a gun holster at his waist. Police found a Ruger .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol on the car’s front seat.
Police charged him with nine violations, including two gun crimes and three motor vehicle violations. He went to Yale-New Haven Hospital after complaining of shortness of breath.
In other police news, according to Hartman:
Glock Gotten: Officers Pedro Colon and Justin Marshal chased the driver of a green Buick who had been stopped in the street and then sped off upon seeing them around 8 p.m. Monday. It began as a car chase. Here’s what happened next, in Hartman’s words: “After a short pursuit on Columbus Avenue, the Buick turned into a service garage, where the operator got out and ran into one of the service bays. Colon & Marshal were right behind him and saw the man throw a gun into a trash pail. They ordered the man to stop, which he did.” The cops arrested the man, who’s 23 and lives on Columbus Avenue. He turned out to be a convicted felon; the cops also grabbed a “loaded Glock 17 hand gun with an extended, loaded magazine.”
Guns, Crack Seized: Police executing a search warrant at 79 Pardee St. in Fair Haven Heights came up with an assault rifle. It was part of an investigation into allegations of crack sales at the house.
Police found a 45 caliber “Thompson” style assault rifle, a Ruger .9mm handgun, a stolen .40 caliber handgun, and 10 grams of crack-cocaine, along with a scale, packaging materials, a powder often used to cut narcotics, ammunition, and holsters.
Police arrested a 20-year-old, an 18-year-old, a 21-year-old, a 40-year-old, and a 42-year-old on gun and drugs charges.
Person Shot: At 3:20 a.m. Tuesday, police responded to a report of a shooting at 593 Columbus Ave. in the Hill. They found a 32-year-old man who had been shot in the torso. He was taken to St. Raphael’s, where he was operated on and was in critical condition. Witnesses told cops they heard voices and a gunshot, then observed a black car with a loud engine speed off.
Street Robbery: At 8:40 p.m. on Monday, police responded to 32 Elliot St. in the Hill on a report of a robbery. The victim told cops he was walking home when two men with silver pistols confronted him. One demanded money and hit him in the mouth with the gun. Police searched the area for suspects. The victim was treated at Yale-New Haven Hospital.
Restaurant Robbery: At 7:40 p.m. on Monday, police investigate a robbery at Ziggy’s pizza in Fair Haven heights. Three guys who appeared to be in their late teens had come in. Each one had a gun. They demanded money from the register. Staff handed some over and the three robbers fled over the bridge into Fair Haven.
Person Shot: At around 7:45 p.m. Monday, police investigated a report of a person shot near Winthrop Avenue and Percival Street, just north of Whalley Avenue. The victim told cops he was walking on Winthrop when he was shot in the groin by a masked passenger of a dark car.. He was taken to the Hospital of St. Raphael.
Crime Map
Click here for a list of major crimes for Oct. 31. Click on the image below to see those incidents placed on a citywide map.
For block-by-block year-to-date crime information, plus daily crime maps, check out the Independent’s Crime Log.
Where are all these gun comming from. 2 more shot, will they make it? or add to the list of dead!!