Armed Teen, 17, Caught Driving Stolen Vehicle: Hamden Police

HAMDEN, CT — A 17-year-old boy was arrested on gun charges and several others after police said he was driving a stolen vehicle, struck a police cruiser and left the scene Friday afternoon in Hamden.

Hamden police detectives were patrolling the area of Dixwell Avenue and Putnam Avenue around 2:45 p.m. on Dec. 9 when Detective Andrew Lipford saw a vehicle “weaving in and out of traffic in an erratic” manner, and nearly colliding with several vehicles, according to Sgt. Angela Vey.

Police found that the vehicle had been stolen out of Hamden in early December.

Vey said Lipford and Detective Shawn Nutcher tried to stop the vehicle, however, the driver struck Nutcher’s vehicle and left the scene.

Lipford saw the vehicle come to a stop at the intersection of Putman Avenue and Whitney Avenue, and the driver got out of the vehicle and began to run south on Whitney Avenue, according to Vey. Lipford, Nutcher and Officer Keron Bryce ran after the suspect, and saw him carrying a handgun, Vey said.

Vey said the suspect dropped the gun while he was running and was apprehended a short distance away. Sgt. Jomo Crawford and Officer Devon Bonds also assisted in the investigation, according to Vey.

No one was injured during the incident, Vey said.

The 17-year-old was charged with larceny of a motor vehicle, illegal possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle, engaging police in a pursuit, carrying a pistol without a permit, illegal purchase of a large capacity magazine and interfering with an officer. The juvenile had an unrelated outstanding warrant out of Hamden, for which he was also charged, according to Vey.

The juvenile has a court date in New Haven Superior Court for Juvenile Matters later this month, Vey said.