Driver Charged with DUI After Crashing Into Police Cruiser in Middletown: State Police

MIDDLETOWN, CT — A Meriden man was driving under the influence when he crashed his vehicle into a state police cruiser on I-91 in Middletown over the summer, according to state police.

Joshua Rita, 25, of Castle Drive in Meriden, was arrested Wednesday (Dec. 14) on a warrant in connection to the July accident.

At about 10:40 p.m. on July 17, state police responded to Exit 20 on I-91 North in Middletown where a police cruiser was struck while it was parked in the left lane with all of its rear-facing emergency lights activated. The left lane was closed while state DOT workers were performing emergency guardrail repairs as a result of a prior accident, according to police.

Rita’s vehicle crashed into the cruiser and sent it into the wire rope guardrail off the left shoulder. Rita’s vehicle continued traveling north and went across all three lanes before striking the wire rope guardrail off the right shoulder, according to the police report.

The state trooper was transported to Hartford Hospital and was treated for minor injuries to his head, neck and back.

Rita told police that he was on his way to his girlfriend’s house in Rocky Hill and while traveling he went to move over a lane and didn’t see the cruiser with its lights activated. He then merged over to the left and crashed into the parked cruiser.

When state troopers responded to the scene, Rita was out of his vehicle and walking. Police said that Rita appeared to be intoxicated although no odor of alcoholic beverages was detected, according to the arrest warrant.

Police said Rita was acting sluggish and was exhibiting signs of drunk-like behavior but denied taking any drugs or alcoholic beverages. He did tell police that he was prescribed 1 mg of Suboxone daily.

Rita sustained a laceration to his head during the accident and was transported to Hartford Hospital for evaluation. In the course of his treatment, blood was drawn and police secured a warrant for his records relating to the accident.

The samples that were seized showed that Rita’s blood contained a concentration of “Alprazolam, which is a benzodiazepine commonly known by the brand name Xanax,” police wrote in the arrest warrant.

Rita was taken into custody at his home in Meriden on Dec. 14 without incident and charged with operating under the influence of drugs/alcohol and failure to slow/move over for emergency vehicle. He was released on a $2,500 court-set cash bond and is scheduled to appear in Middletown Superior Court on Dec. 28.

Photos via Connecticut State Police

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