Man Drags Cop During Vehicle Chase With Baby in Car: PD

NEW HAVEN, CT—A city man was arrested after he tried to escape police after he kidnapped his son, according to police.

An East Haven woman approached police Aug. 4 and said that her 18-month child was kidnapped by the child's father while they were at Rite Aid Pharmacy on Church Street, said Officer David Hartman, police spokesman.

She told officers that father Nicholas Ferraro doesn't have custody of the child and is just an acquaintance. He took the car while she was in the store, Hartman said.

Police tracked down the vehicle at Jefferson and St. John streets after the mother got a text from Ferraro that he was out of gas.

Ferraro opened the car door and was ordered to the ground by offices, Hartman said. He asked what was going on and quickly got back into the vehicle.

A struggle ensued and Officer Gregory Ammon tried to prevent Ferraro from putting the vehicle into drive. Ferraro got the vehicle in drive and sped off with Ammon hanging on, Hartman said.

Ferraro struck a tree and Ammon too was hurled into a tree. Ferraro then sped off.

Police continued to pursue Ferraro as he traveled from Fair Haven to East Rock neighborhoods and then through the downtwon area. He then took I-95 to Branford and turned around at exit 55 to head back to New Haven.

State Police and an East Haven officer were able to pin the vehicle against a concrete barrier on the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge.

Ferraro tried, but failed to climb out of the passenger vehicle. If he made it out he would've taken a dive off the bridge.

Police took him into custody. The baby wasn't injured, but was taken to the hospital for an evaluation.

Ammon was evaluated at the scene for his injuries.

Ferraro was arrested and charged with the following crimes; Kidnapping in the second degree, risk of injury to a minor, reckless endangerment in the first degree, interfering with an officer, assault on a police officer, engaging police in pursuit, taking a vehicle without the owner`s permission, disobeying an officer`s signal and operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license.