Fiery Crash In Southington Closes Plantsville, Impacts Restaurant: PD

SOUTHINGTON, CT — One juvenile was injured after the stolen vehicle he was riding in slammed into a utility pole, rolled over, caught fire, and came to a rest at a local restaurant early Saturday morning in Southington.

The Southington Police Department Saturday released an in-depth statement chronicling the incident, which included a police pursuit, a utility pole snapped in half, a vehicle rollover and, ultimately, a final rest against a well-known local eatery.

Another juvenile was involved in the accident — which ended at the Hop Haus restaurant in Plantsville just before 3:30 a.m. Saturday.

Police said the suspect was still at large and the road in that area was expected to be closed for much of the day.

The SPD said the incident started at approximately 3:13 a.m. when Southington Flock cameras alerted officers to a stolen vehicle traveling north on Old Turnpike Road into Southington from Cheshire.

Shortly after, at 3:15 a.m., police said a second camera showed this exact stolen vehicle was on Main Street by Meriden Avenue traveling northbound, more than two and a half miles away from the initial alert.

Several seconds later, an officer reported the stolen vehicle passing his location in the area of North Main Street and Mill Street at a high rate of speed.

That officer lost sight of the vehicle but began searching the area, police said.

At approximately 3:19 a.m., the stolen vehicle was observed traveling south on Main Street near Bristol Street.

An officer attempted to turn around but lost sight of the car, according to police. While checking the area, officers reported a flash in the sky, believed to be a transformer from a utility pole, according to the SPD.

While checking the area of Plantsville Center, this same officer observed a single-car motor vehicle collision involving the stolen vehicle.

The vehicle had struck a utility pole and severed the pole, causing three transformers to fall to the ground, police said.

The car then rolled onto its side and came to a rest against Hop Haus, 28 W. Main St., where it caught fire.

The Southington Fire Department extinguished the fire and Hop Haus did not suffer any structural damage, police said.

According to police, witnesses reported seeing an occupant running west on West Main Street from the vehicle.

A short time later, a juvenile with serious injuries approached an officer seeking medical attention, police said.

The juvenile admitted to being in the stolen car with one other juvenile male who fled on foot.

Local medical personnel provided treatment and the juvenile was transported to an area Hospital for evaluation and further treatment. That juvenile is currently listed as stable.

The second juvenile was not located and is being sought by police for questioning.

Plantsville Center remains temporarily closed while the accident investigation team conducts its on-scene investigation.

Police said the area of West Main Street will be closed between South Main Street and Summer Street for several hours while Eversource repairs the pole and transformers.

Anyone with information regarding this crash is asked to contact Officer Steven Schlitten of the
Southington Police Department at 860-378-1600, ext. 2453, or SSchlitten@southingtonpolice.org.