Armed Newington Carjacking Suspect Caught in Hartford

NEWINGTON, CT — A carjacking which took place Sunday afternoon in Newington ended a short while later when the stolen vehicle crashed in Hartford, resulting in the arrest of an armed teenager on a plethora of charges and police seeking a second suspect.

The incident began around 4:30 p.m., when Newington police were summoned to the Fastrak station on Willard Avenue and West Hill Road, where a man reported he had been in the parking lot of the Anna Reynolds Elementary School on Reservoir Road when he was approached by two black males wearing light-colored shirts. One of the males brandished a handgun, and the pair forced the victim into his own car, a 1999 Mercedes, and ordered him to drive to the Fastrak station, where he was then told to exit the vehicle, police said.

The victim told police the males drove his car on the Fastrak toward Hartford. A bulletin was issued to neighboring police departments, and a Hartford officer spotted the vehicle near Westland and Vine streets in the city at 4:42 p.m., police said.

A brief pursuit ensued, which ended when the car crashed at the intersection of Clark and Judson streets. The operator, who had a firearm in his possession, was taken into custody, police said.

The operator, a 17-year-old male from Hartford whose name was not released, was charged with first-degree kidnapping with a firearm, conspiracy to commit first-degree kidnapping with a firearm, first-degree robbery, conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery, robbery by carjacking, conspiracy to commit robbery by carjacking, second-degree larceny, conspiracy to commit second-degree larceny, first-degree criminal trover, conspiracy to commit first-degree criminal trover, second-degree breach of peace, conspiracy to commit second-degree breach of peace, possession of a weapon on school grounds, carrying a pistol without a permit, illegal possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle, use of a firearm for a felony, first-degree threatening and first-degree reckless endangerment.

He was transported to a juvenile detention center, and is scheduled to appear in New Britain Superior Court Juvenile Matters July 28.

Hartford police reported the operator was the lone occupant of the Mercedes; the second suspect in the carjacking is still at large. Anyone with information about the incident or the identity of the second suspect is asked to contact Officer Michael Fallon of the Newington Police Department at 860-666-8445.

Photo courtesy of Hartford Police Department