Police Dog Nabs 2 After Chase on I-84, in Stafford, Willington

STAFFORD/WILLINGTON, CT — Two men were to appear in court on Monday after a wild weekend chase that ended with a police dog capturing them in a wooded area of Willington, state police said.

On Saturday, state police from the Troop C Narcotic Enforcement Team were on an enforcement detail on the eastbound side of Interstate-84. At 3:20 p.m., troopers observed a grey Infiniti traveling at a high rate of speed with no front plate and dark tinted windows, an arrest report indicates. The plate on the car had been stolen out of Waterbury, and it was stopped near Exit 68 in Tolland, state police said.

The driver was identified as Kerel Vaughn, 22, of Waterbury and the passenger as Isaiah Freeman 26, of Naugatuck.

Vaughn is a convicted felon who had an active arrest warrant out of Waterbury, state police said. Vaughn had a suspended license and the Infiniti was uninsured, according to an arrest report.

Vaughn scuffled with troopers and was able to get back into the vehicle and get it into gear with troopers still latched onto him and a trooper in the passenger door, according to an arrest report.

Troopers were able to let go, return to their cruisers and chase Vaughn, according to a report.

Vaughn exited I-84 at exit 69 and the pursuit continued onto Route 32, state police said.

Vaughn drove through stop sticks and the pursuit continued on Route 32 through Willington and into Stafford, according to a report. As the Infiniti's speed continued to increase, troopers called off the pursuit prior to reaching the populated area of Stafford, according to a report.

About a half-hour later, a resident on Route 32, known locally as River Road, called Troop C to report that there was a gray Infiniti abandoned in a yard, state police said.

Residents were advised that a search was under way and, after about 30 minutes and 1 mile of tracking through what state police described as thick woods, swampy terrain and deep snow, police dog Ugo located and detained both suspects as they attempted to flee on foot toward Blair Road in Willington, according to a report.

Troopers took both Vaughn and Freeman into custody, escorted them out of the woods and transported them to Troop C.

Vaughn was booked on a $75,000 bond for:

• No front plate
• Improper use of registration
• Possession of stolen registration
• Operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license
• Operating a motor vehicle without insurance
• Engaging police in a pursuit
• Reckless driving,
• Reckless endangerment,
• Criminal attempt to commit assault on a public safety officer
• Interfering/resisting

Freeman was booked on a $25,000 bond for

• Interfering with a police officer

Photo Credit (Vaughn, Freeman, Ugo): CSP