Robbery Suspect Surrenders After Crash, Negotiation: Hamden Police

HAMDEN, CT — A man accused of robbing a liquor store at gunpoint in Hamden was taken into custody after crashing on the Route 40 connector on Wednesday, according to police.

The suspect, identified as 64-year-old James M. Haggerty, eventually surrendered to police after refusing to get out of the vehicle after the crash, according to Acting Hamden Police Chief Timothy F. Wydra.

Police received a report around 11:35 a.m. of an armed robbery at Lincoln Liquors at 2644 State St. in Hamden. A dark Nissan Altima was the reported getaway vehicle, and Wydra said all Hamden police officers were alerted of the robbery and that a male suspect was armed with a gun.

Hamden police found the Nissan Altima traveling on Whitney Avenue near Glendower Street, then saw it enter the Wilbur Cross Parkway (Route 15) heading north, according to Wydra.

Officers lost sight of the Altima, and other Hamden officers then saw it in the area of State Street in North Haven.

Wydra said officers tried to stop the Altima, but the driver crashed into a Hamden police cruiser and continued driving onto State Street.

The Altima then entered the Route 40 connector driving in the wrong direction, westbound in the eastbound lanes, and then quickly crossed the center median and began traveling east in the westbound lanes toward the I-91 exchange, according to Wydra.

Wydra said Hamden officers discontinued their attempt to stop the Altima, which was then found to have struck two vehicles on Route 40 and then left the roadway and came to rest into a grassy area off the roadway.

Haggerty refused to get out of the Altima while several Hamden and North Haven officers, and Connecticut State Police troopers negotiated with him to surrender, according to Wydra.

After several minutes, Wydra said Hagerty got out of the Altima and surrendered. He was taken into custody by the Hamden Police Department.

Haggerty, of New Haven, was charged with first-degree robbery, carrying a dangerous weapon, weapon in a motor vehicle, first-degree reckless endangerment, engaging police in pursuit and several motor vehicle charges. He was held in lieu of a $200,000 bond with a court date of May 24.

Police are continuing to investigate the incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Andrew Lipford at 203-230-4000.

“The Hamden Police Department would like to thank the North Haven Police Department and the CT State Police for their assistance in this incident and apprehension,” Wydra wrote in a news release.