New Britain Man Captured After Hitting NJ Cop With Vehicle: Police

NEW BRITAIN, CT — A city man is accused of striking and injuring a New Jersey police officer with his vehicle last night.

Connecticut State Police said they were alerted around 1:25 a.m. Monday about an officer-involved shooting in Belleville, New Jersey. Troopers were asked to look for a BMW, as its operator had struck a Belleville, New Jersey police officer with it, according to state police.

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Belleville police provided information about the suspect's possible location, noting his mother lives in New Britain.

Connecticut troopers found the man at a gas station in New Britain, state police said. Troopers and the New Britain Police Department took the suspect, Damien Sulewski, 22, of 931 W. Main St., New Britain, into custody.

Sulewski was arrested on an extradition charge and held on a $500,000 cash/surety bond. He is due to be arraigned today in Superior Court in New Britain.

Belleville Mayor Frank Velez said on Facebook he was briefed by Police Chief Mark Minichini regarding the officer-involved shooting.

"According to preliminary information, a Belleville police officer was struck by a vehicle while attempting to apprehend a fleeing suspect," Velez said, in the post. "An officer subsequently discharged their firearm, and the suspect fled the scene."

No one was struck when the officer fired, officials said.

Both the injured officer and his partner were taken for treatment at a nearby hospital.

"The officers' injuries have been reported as non-life-threatening," Velez said.

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