Video Shows Officer Firing At Charging Car In Naugatuck: WATCH

NAUGATUCK, CT — The Fairfield State's Attorney's office released new details and body camera footage that shows the moment when an officer fires several shots at a car heading toward him during a traffic stop in Naugatuck.

Fairfield State’s Attorney Joseph T. Corradino, who was assigned by Chief State’s Attorney Richard J. Colangelo Jr., to lead the investigation into whether Sgt. Nicholas Kehoss was justified in firing his weapon. Corradino released his preliminary report on Thursday.

The incident happened around 8 p.m. on Sept. 14 on the Route 8 North on-ramp at Maple Street. The officer was conducting a traffic stop on an orange 2019 Dodge Charger with Ohio registration No. HQJ2680.

Patrol Officer Kevin Zainc, who has been a member of the Naugatuck Police Department for more than 15 years, was operating a marked patrol vehicle while in uniform and saw what he believed to be a hand-to-hand drug transaction conducted from a car driven by Roznovsky Machado, 24, of Waterbury, according to Corradino.

Zainc followed the Dodge Charger onto the northbound ramp of Route 8 at Maple Street where he made a stop. He parked his patrol vehicle behind Machado’s car. Zainc told Machado that he was stopped for conducting what appeared to be a hand-to-hand transaction.

During the stop, Machado provided his name wasn’t able to provide a valid operator’s license.

Kehoss, who has been with the Naugatuck Police Department for 10 years, arrived to assist in the stop. Zainc can be heard on the body camera footage telling Kehoss “he’s going to take off,” as he walks back to his patrol car.

Kehoss then pulls his vehicle around to block Machado’s vehicle from the front. Both officers get out of their vehicles to approach the Charger as Machado put his car in reverse. Zainc can be heard shouting, “Yo, don’t do it, don’t do it” to Machado as the car moved.

As he was trying to flee, Machado’s car struck Kehoss’s vehicle and drove directly toward Kehoss, who fired several shots.

Kehoss was hit by the Charger and later was treated at the hospital for his injuries.

Machado fled the scene and hasn’t been apprehended. The car driven by Machado, a rental car, was later found in Waterbury.

See also: Suspect Sought In Officer-Involved Shooting: Naugatuck Police

It isn’t known if any of the shots hit Machado and whether he suffered any injuries, according to police.

Watch the body camera footage released by the Fairfield State's Attorney's office below: