Man Hit 105 MPH In Manchester Days Before Vernon Fatal Crash: Warrant

MANCHESTER, CT — A man already in custody on a $1 million bond on a manslaughter charge in connection with a February fatal road rage crash in Vernon has also been charged with engaging state police in a pursuit in Manchester just a few days before in the stolen car involved in the accident.

Jahmarcus McCatty, 20, of Hartford, was served a warrant in the case last week on 10 charges related to fleeing state police on Feb. 7, records show. The charges include reckless driving, failure to obey a traffic signal and engaging police in a pursuit, along with registration, insurance, license, lights and lane violations, according to a warrant.

According to a warrant, state police on Feb. 7 had set up a traffic enforcement detail on the eastbound side of Interstate 84 on the Manchester-Vernon line. Suddenly, a white Infiniti Q50 being driven by McCatty and with one headlight out and a plate registered to a Honda Civic went whizzing past state police at 105 mph.

State police gave chase and McCatty left the highway at Exit 63 in Manchester, ran a red light at Oakland Street and sped away from authorities, according to a warrant.

It turned out that, on Feb. 27, the same car with McCatty behind the wheel, which was traced to have been stolen out of Howard Beach, NY, was involved in a fatal crash in Vernon, according to a warrant in the case.

The warrant charged McCatty with first-degree manslaughter, evading responsibility resulting in death, following too closely, evading responsibility causing physical injury, second-degree larceny, possessing stolen license plates, failure to wear a seat belt, reckless driving, misuse of a license plate, illegal racing on a roadway, failure to obey a stop sign and making an improper turn.

Tolland State's Attorney Matthew Gedansky described the crash as a lengthy road rage incident that went on for "miles."

Gedansky argued for the $1 million bond based on a warrant showing McCatty tried to flee the scene of the crash on foot "with great effort," and the fact that "automatic" and altered weapons were found on him during the warrant service in Hartford.

He termed McCatty "a great risk to the community."

The crash took place at 3:48 p.m. on Feb. 27 and involved the Infiniti being driven by McCatty and a Harley Davidson motorcycle being ridden by James Faulkner, 25, of Vernon. Faulkner was transported to Rockville General Hospital shortly after the crash, and was pronounced dead there, according to police.

Also involved were two parked vehicles, a 2005 Subaru Legacy and a 2015 Kia Optima, police said.

According to the warrant, Faulkner and McCatty began "chasing" each other in a road rage incident that began on Grove Street in Vernon (close to Route 30) and ended with a collision at Prospect Street and Ellington Avenue. Faulkner was thrown from the bike, which was partially lodged under the Infiniti and the parked Subaru, according to the warrant.

A review of the Infiniti's computer system showed the impact was at 34 mph, but the car was traveling at 80 mph with the accelerator depressed to the floor five seconds earlier, according to the warrant. Prospect Street has a 25 mph speed limit.

McCatty is due in Rockville Superior Court on Aug. 16 in the Vernon manslaughter case and, in Manchester Superior Court five days later for the pursuit case, judicial system records show.

According to a warrant, McCatty admitted to being involved in other high speed incidents in the area.