State Police Dog Nabs Ellington Stolen Car Suspect In Vernon

VERNON, CT — A state police dog Tuesday night caught a stolen car suspect red-handed in with the keys to a red truck that was taken from Ellington, authorities said.

Ay 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, state police and Ellington officers responded to an address on West Road in Ellington to investigate the theft of a red Chevrolet CK1500 pickup truck, according to an incident repot. State police said they were told the vehicle was seen on Route 83 heading toward Vernon.

State police from the Troop C barracks gave Vernon police a description of the pickup truck and Vernon police were also alerted by a resident that a "suspicious" red pickup truck had just parked in an apartment complex on Regan Street in Vernon and a man was seen exiting from the drivers side, according to an incident report. State and Vernon police arrived at the apartment complex, located an unoccupied red pickup truck and confirmed it to be the same red Chevrolet CK1500 pickup truck which had been reported stolen, according to an incident report.

State police dog Drago was quickly deployed and led troopers to an exterior apartment door and inside the dwelling was the suspect, identified as 58-year-old Willington resident John Hansen, according to an incident report. State police said Hansen had the keys to the truck in his possession.

Hansen was exhibiting signs of possible impairment and he failed sobriety tests after being brought to Troop C for processing, according to an incident report.

Hansen was was charged with:

• Third-degree larceny
• The use of a motor vehicle without permission
• Driving under the influence
• Operating a motor vehicle without minimum insurance
• Operating an unregistered motor vehicle
• Driving without a license

Hansen was held on a $25,000 and transferred to Hartford Correctional Center, Tuesday night, state police said. He was to be arraigned in Rockville Superior Court Wednesday.