nothin New Haven Independent | Youth Faces Felonies for Crashing Stolen Car…

Youth Faces Felonies for Crashing Stolen Car into Cruiser

A 19-year-old from Bridgeport who was arrested last week along with four juveniles was driving a stolen car in Pine Orchard when it crashed into a police cruiser. He now faces eight felony charges in Superior Court in New Haven, court records show.

Patrick P. Geyer, 19, of 728 Arctic St., Bridgeport, along with four male juveniles were in a car stolen in Stamford when it crashed into a police cruiser operated by Officer John Abely at about 9:45 p.m. on April 6. Abely was subsequently placed on light duty. He was not seriously injured. The police vehicle was damaged.

Branford PD

Geyer has not posted $75,000 in bond, and he has not been released from custody, according to court records. His next court date is on May 3. Geyer faces burglary, larceny, and conspiracy to commit the crimes, in all eight felonies, an unusual occurrence. 

All of the juveniles, three from Bridgeport and a 14-year-old driver from Derby, were charged with a number of offenses including various counts of larceny, burglary and conspiracy to commit those crimes. After being released to their parents, the juveniles were scheduled to appear in a Juvenile Court in their area. Their names were not made public because they are under age 18.

It was the second time in a few weeks that a stolen vehicle crashed into police cruiser in Branford. The first crash caused considerable damage to the police car, which is now out of commission, Capt. Geoffrey Morgan told the Eagle.

Last week, Abely, along with Officers Christopher Romanello and Michael O’Connor, were responding to a report of suspicious people and a vehicle in the area of Seldon Avenue. Five unlocked vehicles were reported stolen from that same area less than 24 hours earlier. Capt. Morgan, the department’s police information officer, said most of those vehicles have been recovered.

Police were looking for a dark-colored, Honda minivan with a bike rack on the rear, when they received another report of activity close by on Pleasant Point Road. The resident told 911 operators that a white truck had just crashed into parked cars in his driveway, and that the occupants were leaving in the Honda minivan. As Abely was approaching the area, the minivan struck the front of his patrol vehicle, traveled off the roadway, struck a rock, and rolled onto its side. All five occupants were temporarily trapped in the vehicle until they were removed and taken into custody by police.

According to police, the five had arrived in the area using the stolen Honda, and then stole a 2018 Ford truck, which had the keys in it, from a nearby home on Totoket Road before crashing it at the end of Pleasant Point Road.

Police have continued to urge residents to remove their car keys and to lock their cars when leaving them in the driveway.
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