Driver Accused Of Hitting Farmington Cop Facing 8 Charges In All

FARMINGTON, CT — The man charged with hitting a Farmington police officer with a stolen car while trying to flee authorities is facing eight charges in all, an arrest report indicates.

The report was released Wednesday.

Pedro Acevedo, 32, of New Britain, was both arrested and arraigned Tuesday on a warrant and remained n custody Wednesday on a $750,000 bond, judicial system records show.

He was charged with:

• First-degree assault
• Assault on a public safety officer
• First-degree reckless endangerment
• Second-degree larceny of a motor vehicle valued at more than $10,000
• Reckless endangerment
• Evading responsibility
• Fourth -degree larceny
• Sixth-degree larceny

The crash took place Sept. 20 and Officer James O'Donnell underwent intense surgical procedures and is facing a lengthy recovery period, police said. More surgeries are planned, Farmington Police Chief Paul Melanson said.

At 12:50 a.m., Sept. 20, Farmington police responded to a report about an active theft involving a motor vehicle in the area of 1 Talcott Notch Road.

The thief — later identified as Acevedo — attempted to flee the scene, but the car hit O'Donnell, who had just exited his police cruiser, according to a report.

Additional officers pursued the stolen, which was taken in of Middletown. It crashed into a wooded area, according to a report, and the driver then fled on foot.

Multiple dog teams searched the area, but Acevedo was not located. Acevedo was picked up by Plainville police less than a week later in a stolen car case and subsequently identified as the driver in the Farmington incident, Melanson said.

O'Donnell was transported to St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford via ambulance and underwent extensive surgical procedures, police said.

O'Donnell is a three-year veteran of the department.