Clinton Teen's Arrest Has Nothing To Do With Flying Drone-Gun: Police [UPDATE]

Clinton 18-year-old Austin Haughwout has been in the news several times over the past week.

• Once, for creating a flying drone equipped with a handgun and posting a video of it online
• Twice, for the Federal Aviation Administration conducting an investigation
• And a third time, for an arrest on July 22, charging Haughwout with interfering with and assaulting an officer

Clinton Police Sgt. Jeremiah Dunn released a Thursday, July 23, press release that mentioned Haughwout’s drone briefly.

“It should be noted that none of the facts leading to the arrest warrant or subsequent arrest at the police station, had any connection to the recent media attention that Haughwout has received regarding a drone with an attached operating firearm,” Dunn said.

Advised to Surrender

Haughwout was contacted by police via telephone, at approximately 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 22. He was advised to surrender himself on an outstanding arrest warrant stemming from an incident that occurred on July 19, Dunn said.

A request for further information on the incident was requested. Patch will update this article with more information as it becomes available.

The arrest warrant charged Haughwout with interfering with an officer and failure to obey an officer’s signal.

The teen arrived at the Clinton Police Department at approximately 8:08 p.m. Wednesday, Dunn said.

An Alleged Attempt to Leave the Station

“The officer made contact with Haughwout in the lobby of the station and then Haughwout refused to obey the arresting officers instructions,” Dunn said in the report. “At some point Haughwout attempted to turn and exit the station. The officer then attempted to restrain Haughwout in order to prevent his attempt to flee. As a result a physical altercation ensued between Haughwout and the officer.”

Police said other officers responded to assist in the apprehension of Haughwout.

“Officers had to physically restrain Haughwout in the lobby of the station and eventually secured him in handcuffs,” Dunn said. “During the altercation, Haughwout physically assaulted two officers by striking and kicking at them repeatedly. The officers sustained minor injuries but did not require immediate medical attention.”

Haughwout was then brought to the cell area of the station where he started to have difficulty breathing, Dunn said.

“As a precaution, Haughwout was immediately transported via ambulance to Middlesex Memorial Shoreline Clinic in Westbrook for an evaluation,” he said. “Once being medically cleared, Haughwout was released from the hospital and returned to the Clinton Police station for processing on the criminal charges.”

Haughwout was additionally charged with two counts of assault on an officer and a single count of interfering with an officer.

Haughwout was held on a $20,000 bond and was arraigned at Middlesex Superior court Thursday, July 23.

Related

• Flying Drone-Gun Teen Inventor Featured on Inside Edition Tuesday
• VIDEO: FAA Investigates Teen’s Flying Drone Handgun for Violations [UPDATE]