Man Carjacked Tractor-Trailer, Attacked 3, Hit 10 Cars: Police

NEW HAVEN, CT — It was rush hour on Interstate 95 Tuesday when 911 calls flooded into state police Troop G.

A man, who state police later said was on some kind of drugs, was running across southbound traffic near Exit 46 in New Haven, according to a news release issued Wednesday afternoon by Connecticut State Police.

The man, later identified as 51-year-old Frank Montes-Rivera, then carjacked a tractor-trailer, attacking the truck's driver and shoving him out of the vehicle and onto the highway, authorities said.

Montes-Rivera then started to drive the truck, crashing into at least 10 other vehicles in traffic and stopping after striking the metal beam guardrail off the right shoulder, police said.

Soon, Trooper Horatio Hinds arrived and approached Montes-Rivera from the passenger side of the truck and tried to speak with him. Police said Montes-Rivera lunged at Hinds, who then used his Taser.

Montes-Rivera was "removed" from the driver side of the tractor-trailer and onto the highway when State’s Attorney Inspector Herbert Johnson, who was in the traffic, went to help Hinds.

Montes-Rivera began to fight both Johnson and Hinds as they tried to take him into custody, police said.

State police said that during that altercation, "it was clear Montes-Rivera was under the influence of a narcotic or other substance."

During that struggle, Montes-Rivera tried to get Johnson's gun by "breaking" his holster, police said, but Johnson was able to "release Montes-Rivera’s hand from his firearm."

Finally, Montes-Rivera was placed under arrest and taken to the hospital. Both Johnson and the tractor-trailer's driver sustained minor injuries, and both were also taken to the hospital.

Montes-Rivera was charged with robbery by carjacking, interfering with an officer, assault on a public safety officer, second-degree breach of peace, second-degree assault, second-degree assault with a motor vehicle, and first-degree reckless endangerment.

He was held on $100,000 bond and was scheduled to appear in court Wednesday morning.

The incident caused a major traffic issue as all three lanes of the interstate were shut down for nearly two hours.