Officer Involved in Fatal Norwalk Police Chase Placed on 'Modified Assignment'

NORWALK, CT — Additional details have been revealed by Norwalk police about Thursday's fatal police chase and crash.

The officer involved in the incident, whose identity has not been officially released by police, "has been placed on a modified assignment pending an administrative review of the pursuit," according to the department. That officer was also taken to Stamford Hospital following the incident for evaluation and was released.

Vincent Fowlkes, a 22-year-old Norwalk man, was the driver who led police on the pursuit, and he was pronounced dead at Norwalk Hospital following the crash, which occurred just after 11 a.m. Norwalk resident Shawn Bowman, 19, was a passenger in the vehicle and suffered serious injuries in the crash, according to state police.

Additionally, the Connecticut State Police accident reconstruction team was requested and is handling the accident investigation.

The following information was released by Norwalk police Friday:

On January 26, 2017, the Special Services Division was serving multiple arrest warrants on a subject wanted for the sale of narcotics. The subject was spotted in the area of Colonial Village and fled as officers attempted to arrest him. Special Services Officers captured the individual a short time later. The preliminary investigation indicates that an officer heard the radio call of a foot pursuit and responded to the vicinity of West Cedar Street and Scribner Avenue to assist. The officer then attempted to stop a vehicle.

However, the vehicle failed to yield, continuing north on Scribner Avenue in a reckless manner. This vehicle was involved in a motor vehicle accident moments later. The two occupants were transported to the Norwalk Hospital, where the driver later succumb to his injuries. A large quantity of narcotics was located in the vehicle when rescuers were extricating the occupants. Investigators are working to determine if there is any relationship between the two incidents.

Patch file photo