2 Charged After Crash Into Police Cruiser, Pursuit: Middletown PD

MIDDLETOWN, CT — Two people were arrested in connection with crashing into a police cruiser and leading officers on a pursuit onto I-91 after a suspected drug transaction Tuesday night in Middletown, according to police.

Detectives were conducting surveillance on Silver Street around 11 p.m. due to recent complaints of drug activity, according to police.

Police said detectives saw the occupants of a black Nissan Altima engage in a suspected drug transaction and began following the vehicle, which didn’t have a visible marker plate.

Detectives followed the Nissan to River Road at Harbor Drive and tried to conduct a traffic stop, according to police.

Police said one detective blocked the Nissan’s path from the front, and another blocked the rear of the vehicle.

“As one Detective approached the vehicle, the operator of the Nissan put the vehicle in reverse and accelerated backwards, striking the Middletown cruiser behind it,” police wrote in a news release. “The operator then accelerated forward and drove directly at another Detective at a high rate of speed. It appeared that the operator was trying to hit the Detective in order to flee but the Detective was able to move out of the vehicle’s path to avoid injury. The vehicle traveled north on Harbor Drive and entered Route 9 North.”

Police caught up to the vehicle near Exit 25 on Route 9. The vehicle’s rear bumper had broken off after striking the cruiser and was dragging behind the vehicle, according to police.

“Detectives and Officers observed the operator driving at a high rate of speed, recklessly swerving between lanes, and driving in the break down lane,” police wrote. “The reckless operation placed the public and vehicle occupants in immediate danger so Officers continued to pursue the Nissan. The vehicle continued onto Interstate 91 North. Officers and Detectives were able to block the vehicle’s path but the operator continuously swerved toward cruisers in an effort to flee. The police were eventually able to block the vehicle’s path and end the pursuit without incident in the area of Exit 25-26 on I-91.”

The driver was identified as 32-year-old Shicondra Perry of Middletown, and the passenger was identified as 40-year-old Kevin Morant of Hartford.

During the investigation, police said detectives found a digital scale often associated with drug sales and a glass pipe often associated with drug use. Police said Morant made several statements to police that he encouraged Perry to keep driving and not stop for the police.

Perry was arrested and charged with first-degree reckless endangerment, possession of drug paraphernalia, reckless driving, engaging police in a pursuit, failure to drive in proper lane, and failure to display plates. She was held in lieu of a $500,000 bond and was scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.

Morant was charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree reckless endangerment, conspiracy to commit reckless driving, and conspiracy to commit engaging police in a Pursuit. He was held in lieu of a $500,000 bond and was scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.