Off-Duty CT Trooper Injured After Cruiser Hit On Rt. 15: Police

WOODBRIDGE, CT — An off-duty Connecticut state trooper was injured Friday after police say his cruiser was hit by a car while helping other motorists involved in a crash.

According to police, Trooper Brian Pagoni stopped on northbound Rt. 15 near exit 59 shortly after 6:30 p.m. to help with a two-car crash. Pagoni had helped move all vehicles onto the right shoulder when a car driven by 28-year-old Barira Afzal Chaudhry of Hamden sideswiped his cruiser as well as another car parked on the shoulder, according to police.

Chaudhry fled the scene, police said, but was located minutes later at a Sunoco gas station in New Haven.

Pagoni was taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital for evaluation after complaining of head, neck, and back pain, police said. No other injuries were reported.

Chaudhry was arrested following a field sobriety test and taken to Connecticut State Patrol's Bethany Barracks, police said.

According to authorities, Chaudhry is facing charges of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence, failure to maintain lane, failure to move over for an emergency vehicle, evading responsibility, following too closely, and operating a motor vehicle without an interlock device.