Videos Show Collision Which Injured State Troopers In Enfield; Driver Arrested [UPDATED]

ENFIELD, CT — A teenager from Waterbury was arrested on a warrant late Friday morning in connection with a motor vehicle collision on Interstate 91 Thursday involving a pair of state police vehicles.

Earlier Friday morning, state police released a pair of videos depicting the collision between a state police cruiser and a car which injured two troopers and three occupants of a passenger car.

One video was taken from a flatbed truck which was on scene to assist a vehicle involved in an unrelated collision. The other was taken from a dashboard camera inside a police vehicle.

In the video from the truck, northbound vehicles on Interstate 91 near exit 47 in Enfield were clearly seen spraying standing water which had accumulated in the left lane of three. About 20 seconds into the footage, a light-colored Acura TSX is seen beginning to hydroplane, eventually skidding sideways across two lanes until it smashes, out of camera range, into the back of the police vehicle.

The impact pushed the cruiser forward, striking Trooper Christopher Genovese and a second police vehicle, which contained Trooper Matthew Cerri in the driver's seat. Genovese was taken to Hartford Hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries, while Cerri incurred minor injuries and was treated at the same facility, according to a police report.

The operator of the Acura, later identified as 18-year-old Joel Caiza, and his two passengers all were taken to area hospitals with minor injuries, according to a police report.

An investigation by the Central District Major Crimes Squad led to approval of a warrant charging Caiza with reckless driving, operating a motor vehicle without a license, traveling too fast for conditions and failure to drive in proper lane. Bond was set at $100,000, which Caiza was unable to post, and he remains in the custody of state police, according to a police report.

"Yesterday's collision which left two Troopers seriously injured was absolutely preventable, and this is a reminder to exercise the utmost caution when approaching any emergency vehicles stopped on the side of the road," Connecticut State Police Commanding Officer Daniel Loughman said in a written statement. "Slow down immediately, regardless of your lane, and safely move over to create space for emergency responders. The Connecticut State Police remain committed to the safety of all residents and travelers on Connecticut roadways, and we need the public's assistance at all times to continue our mission. Please do your part- stay alert, obey all signals, and prioritize safety at all times behind the wheel."