Arrest Report Accuses Mansfield Man Of Tossing Nip Bottles, Ramming Cop Car In Chase Through Vernon, Tolland

VERNON, CT — A 51-year-old Mansfield man was throwing nip bottles out the window of his sport utility vehicle and rammed police cars twice before pulling over after a hit-and-run pursuit in Vernon and Tolland, state police said.

At 10:14 p.m. Thursday, state troopers arrived at the scene of a hit-and-run crash on the area of the I-84 westbound Exit 67 off-ramp. A white Chevrolet Equinox had been side-swiped by a blue sport utility vehicle, according to an arrest report.

While on Reservoir Road heading north, the trooper was flagged down by the owner of the Equinox, who pointed out the blue SUV, according to an arrest report.

A trooper attempted to pull over the blue SUV at a light, but the driver accelerated up the eastbound ramp. He was seen discarding empty nip alcohol bottles out a window while driving erratically, according to an arrest report.

The pursuit wound up southbound on Route 195 near Cedar Swamp Road, where state police deployed stop sticks and were able to box in the SUV, according to an arrest report.

The driver, identified as 51-year-old Mansfield resident Robert Wells, rammed police vehicles twice before giving up, according to an arrest report.

According to an arrest report, Wells was taken into custody and charged with:

• Reckless driving
• Engaging police in a pursuit
• Illegally striking a traffic control officer
• Improper passing
• A no-passing zone violation (3 counts)
• A lane violation
• Making an improper turn
• A traffic control signal violation
• Interfering with police

DUI was not among the charges listed in an arrest report.

Wells' initial $500,000 bond was trimmed to $75,000 during an arraignment the following day. He posted it and is due back in RockvilleSuperior Court on Aug. 26, judicial system records show.