DUI Woman Stole DOT Truck, Crashed In North Haven: State Police

NORTH HAVEN, CT — A Hartford woman was arrested after police said she stole a state Department of Transportation truck and drove it while under the influence before crashing into another vehicle Thursday morning in North Haven.

Dinah Khadijah Nelson, 23, is also accused of hitting a police officer in the face during the booking process, according to Connecticut State Police.

State troopers responded around 10:15 a.m. to the theft of a Department of Transportation truck on Route 40 East near Exit 1. The troopers were notified before they arrived that the stolen vehicle crashed into another vehicle at the intersection of Bailey Road and Elm Street in North Haven, according to police.

The driver of a Nissan Sentra had a green light and went through the intersection. Police said Nelson went through a red light and struck the Nissan.

Arriving troopers found the stolen vehicle, an orange GMC 3500HD, off the roadway at the corner of the intersection with its front end up against a tree, according to police.

The driver of the Nissan, a Wallingford woman, was taken to the hospital for treatment of a suspected minor injury, according to police.

Police said Nelson was determined to have been under “the influence of a drug and/or alcohol and was unfit to operate a motor vehicle.”

Nelson was arrested and taken to Troop I for processing.

During the booking process, police said Nelson became “combative and struck a Seymour police officer in the face.”

Nelson was charged with operating under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, first-degree larceny, assault on a public safety officer, failure to obey traffic control signal and negligent pedestrian. She was held in lieu of a $25,000 bond and was scheduled to appear in court on Friday morning.