Hartford Man Burglarizing Vehicles Charged After Chase: Southington PD

SOUTHINGTON, CT — A 56-year-old Hartford man is facing 27 separate charges in connection with a vehicle burglary scheme that ended with a dramatic police chase and crashed vehicles Sunday.

According to the Southington Police Department, Jimmie Collins 56, of 55 Bartholomew Ave., Hartford, was charged with several offenses, including burglary, assault of a police officer, breach of peace, drug and larceny charges, among others.

For his offenses, Collins was being held on a total of $400,000 bond and was expected to appear in New Britain Superior Court Tuesday, June 20.

It all started at about 11:15 a.m. Sunday, according to the SPD in a statement released Monday, when officers were called to the parking lot of the Blackstone Irish Pub, 1678 Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike, in the Milldale section of town, for a report of a smashed car window.

According to police, a caller reported witnessing a male jump into a U-Haul truck and leave the area.

Police arrived on the scene and determined the male broke into four, unoccupied parked vehicles, police said.

Shortly thereafter, an officer discovered a U-Haul box truck parked behind the TOPS Market, 887 Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike, Plantsville, and observed a Black male with a white shirt and black pants leaning through a smashed window of a vehicle near the parked truck, police said.

According to police, this male was later identified as Collins.

Police said Collins saw an officer, then quickly exited the car and ignored the officer's command to stop, entered the U-Haul and "sped away at a high rate of speed."

As the truck was speeding along on Meriden Waterbury Turnpike, it turned onto Meriden Avenue and was intentionally pointed toward a police cruiser coming in the opposite direction, police said.

According to the SPD, the officer was able to take evasive action to avoid a head-on collision, leading to an eventual pursuit of the truck.

It was during the pursuit where police said Collins crashed the U-Haul into two separate vehicles, one at Meriden Avenue at Main Street and the other on North Main Street.

Police said the suspect then ditched the truck at 72 Queen S., running north on foot.

According to police, witnesses reported seeing Collins running toward Lazy Lane, then officers saw Collins riding a stolen bicycle toward Queen Street.

After refusing officer commands to stop, Collins fell from the bicycle on Queen Street, police said.

Immediatelly thereafter, police said Collins stood up, reached into his pocket and took out a screwdriver, threatening officers.

Police eventually took Collins into custody in the Southington Auto Wash & Quick Lube parking lot after deploying a Taser, the SPD said.

Collins was, eventually, found to be in possession of a knife, screwdriver, crack cocain and stolen property at TOPS, police said.

In addition, police said Collins was under the influence of alcohol/drugs.

The SPD said Collins has "an extensive criminal history, including similar incidents.'

Police said the U-Haul the suspect was driving was determined to have been stolen and, inside the truck, officers found a screwdriver used to damage and start the vehicle, along with burglary tools, drugs and items stolen from area vehicle burglaries.

Collins was charged for three separate incidents that day at the the bar, the market and for two crashes.

Specifically, Collins was charged with:

• Blackstone Irish Pub: four counts of third-degree criminal mischief; one count of third-degree burglary; three counts of attempted burglary; and two counts of sixth-degree larceny.

• TOPS Supermarket: first-degree larceny; larceny of a motor vehicle; first-degree criminal trover; third-degree criminal mischief; sixth-degree larceny; third-degree burglary; interfering with an investigation; failure to obey an officer's signal; engaging police in pursuit; reckless driving; reckless endangerement; attempted assault on a police officer; possession of burglary tools; second-degree breach of peace; four counts of possession of a controlled substance; possession of drug paraphernalia; operating a motor vehicle without a license; and driving under the influence of drugs/alcohol.

• Motor vehicle accidents on Meriden Avenue/Main Street and North Main Street: evading responsibility; failure to maintain lane; and traffic signal violations.