Wanted Shoplifter Leads Police On High-Speed Pursuit: East Haven Police

EAST HAVEN, CT — The East Haven Police Department arrested a wanted shoplifter after a brief pursuit through East Haven that ended in New Haven after the suspect caused an accident that disabled her vehicle, Police Lt. Joseph M. Murgo said in a news release. At times the suspect was driving in excess of 80 mph, police said.

At 5:12 p.m. Wednesday Officer Luke Rasile was working routine patrol, police said. He was operating a vehicle equipped with a license plate reader at the time of the incident and was alerted that a vehicle with a stolen license plate had just passed him, Murgo said.

Officer Rasile located the vehicle (Volvo) in question at the intersection of Hemingway Avenue and Main Street, police said. Once the license plate was confirmed to be stolen and on the wrong vehicle, Officer Rasile attempted to conduct a motor vehicle stop on Saltonstall Parkway, police said.

The operator of the vehicle, later identified as Michelle Kosko, 43, disregarded the officers signal to stop and continued traveling west on Saltonstall Parkway at speeds in excess of 80 miles per hour, police said. Kosko was observed driving recklessly, weaving in and out of heavy traffic, and at one point pretending like she was going to get on to the highway, but cut over several lanes at the last second and continued westbound on Frontage Road, police said.

"Because of the reckless nature of Kosko’s driving, Officer Rasile, who had already lost sight of the fleeing vehicle, decided to terminate the pursuit," Murgo said in a statement.

As Officer Rasile approached the turnaround on Frontage Road to head back into town, he observed a large cloud of smoke in the distance at the intersection of Townsend Avenue and Frontage Road, police said.

Believing this to be a result of the fleeing vehicle, Officer Rasile approached the intersection and observed the same Volvo fleeing that scene too, police said. At this point the fleeing Volvo in question had sustained a large amount of damage and became disabled on Quinnipiac Avenue in New Haven, police said.

Officer Rasile attempted to get Kosko to exit the vehicle but she continued to rev her engine in an attempt to get the car back in gear to flee again, police said. At this point, New Haven Police Department officers arrived on scene to assist and broke out Kosko’s front passenger window to get her out of the vehicle, police said. Once Kosko exited the vehicle, she was apprehended without further incident, police said.

While searching Kosko’s vehicle, officers discovered a large amount of stolen merchandise still in the store’s security boxes and still wrapped in security wiring from various stores, police said. They also discovered bags lined with 3M foil tape to prevent detection of security devices affixed to merchandise, police said.

Kosko was charged with Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree, Larceny in the Fifth Degree, Possession of a Shoplifting Device, Engaging in Pursuit, Interfering with Police, Possession of a Stolen License Plate, Reckless Driving, Misuse of Plates, Operating with a Suspended License, Operating an Unregistered Motor Vehicle, and Operating without Insurance. She was held on a $25,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on 06/09/2017.

There were also 5 outstanding arrest warrants for Kosko charging her with various crimes including Failure to Appear in the First Degree and Violation of Probation.

Image via East Haven Police Department