Report Outlines Altercation That Preceded Vernon Fatal Cop Car Crash

VERNON, CT — An arrest report released Monday morning details the Sunday evening call to which a Vernon officer was rushing when his police cruiser collided with a civilian compact car, resulting in the death of a passenger in the civilian car.

The crash took place just before 7 p.m. near the intersection of Hartford Turnpike — the local name for state Route 30 — and Bolton Road. Police received a call from a resident of the Dobbs Crossing apartment complex at 1170 Hartford Turnpike for what sounded like a physical disturbance.

When officers arrived, they determined no one was hurt during the altercation, but discovered that a 23-year-old Vernon man was at the residence in violation of two court-issued protective orders, according to the report. The man began fighting with officers as they attempted to take him into custody, according to the report.

In a Sunday night news conference, Vernon Police Department spokesman Lt. Rob Marra said that's when a backup call went out for officers "in dire need" of assistance.

A Vernon police cruiser responding to that backup call then collided with a Nissan Sentra. The police sport utility vehicle sustained heavy front-end damage.

The Nissan caromed into a yard in a mangled heap, and pieces of it were hanging from an evergreen tree.

A 32-year-old woman who was a passenger in the Nissan was pronounced dead at the scene, Marra said. The driver of the Nissan, a child in the Nissan and the officer were also hurt, but not to the extent of the passenger of the Nissan, Marra said.

The man at Dobbs Crossing was charged with two counts of violating a protective order and one count of interfering with police. He was held overnight on a $30,000 bond and was to appear in court Monday, according to the report.