Hartford Man Armed With Box Cutter Struggles With Police: VIDEO

HARTFORD, CT — A city man driving a stolen car Tuesday suspiciously followed another car for several minutes while holding a box cutter, then struggled with police who tried to apprehend him, injuring three officers.

Troy Parkman, 42, was charged with carrying a dangerous weapon, third-degree larceny, tampering with a motor vehicle, second-degree breach of peace and assault on a police officer.

No bond information was immediately available.

Police dispatchers received a call via 911 from citizens who were traveling in the city in a car and were being followed by an unknown person in another car. Complainants stated the vehicle was following them for several minutes, from Aetna on Sigourney Street to Albany Avenue, and they were scared for their safety, Deputy Chief Brian Foley said.

Dispatchers advised the callers to drive to a safe spot - the front parking lot of the Hartford Police Department headquarters. The suspect followed the complainants into the lot, and officers approached the suspicious vehicle. Officers attempted to talk to the male in the suspect vehicle, but he appeared to be under the influence of narcotics, was not in a normal state of mind and refused to respond to them, Foley said.

The suspect was taken out of the car, when he broke away from officers while holding the box cutter. The officers physically struggled with the suspect as they attempted to disarm him and take him into custody, and the suspect was eventually secured, Foley said.

Three officers received minor injuries from this incident, including a scrape from the box-cutter razor. The vehicle the suspect was driving was confirmed to have been recently stolen, Foley said.

The struggle was captured on video, seen here:

Parkman is a convicted felon with a record of 25 arrests, with a history of PCP/hallucinogen charges, Foley said.

Photo and video courtesy of Hartford Police Department