Car Thief Arrested After Crash In West Hartford: Police

WEST HARTFORD, CT — A 20-year-old man is in custody and several other suspects are being sought after they ran away from a crash in a stolen vehicle early Friday morning in West Hartford, according to police. At about 5 a.m. on Feb. 23, West Hartford Police responded to the area of Whitman Avenue and Grennan Road on the report of suspects attempting to enter a vehicle.

Police said the suspects quickly left the area in a 2008 Jeep Cherokee that was spotted by officers in the area of Fern Street. The vehicle fled the area at a high rate of speed and was last seen heading eastbound on Fern Street toward Hartford.

“At no time were there any WHPD Officers in pursuit of the fleeing suspect vehicle,” police wrote in a press release. “An officer posted at the intersection of Fern St. & Prospect Ave. deployed a tire deflation device at the fleeing suspect vehicle. The suspect vehicle drove around the device and continued one block into Hartford at a high rate of speed.”

The driver lost control and crashed on Fern Street just before the intersection of North Beacon Street. A fence, parked vehicle and several garbage cans were struck by the Jeep, according to police. The passengers immediately ran from the Jeep in various directions.

The driver was taken into custody and police are still searching for the other suspects. A State Police K-9 was called to the scene but was unable to locate the other suspects. Police said the Jeep, which was totaled in the crash, had been stolen out of Simsbury.

The driver, 20-year-old Andre Gaston, was taken to St. Francis Hospital after complaining of back pain and numbness in his legs, according to police. He was later released to police custody.

Gaston was charged with three counts of first-degree reckless endangerment, two counts of conspiracy to commit third-degree burglary and one count each of second-degree criminal trover, third-degree larceny, simple trespass, interfering with an officer and engaging police in pursuit. He is being held on a $50,000 bond.

Pictured: Andre Gaston / West Hartford Police Department