Customers Stop Wanted Man From Fleeing: West Hartford Police

WEST HARTFORD, CT — Customers at a gas station in West Hartford helped keep a wanted man from running away from police by holding the front doors shut on Friday morning, according to Capt. Michael Perruccio. At about 10 a.m. on March 1, a patrol officer was in the area of 905 Farmington Avenue when he recognized a man who had an active domestic violence arrest warrant, Perruccio said. The officer called for backup as he approached the man, who was identified Abdulmonem Alsaleh, according to Perruccio.

“Alsaleh immediately became physically resistant as the second officer arrived on scene,” Perruccio wrote in a press release. “Both officers struggled with Alsaleh as other officers started to arrive. Alsaleh was taken into custody without any injuries to himself or officers. During the incident, patrons of the gas station at 905 Farmington held the front doors closed while Alsaleh was resisting and attempting to gain access to the gas station.”

Alsaleh, 45, of South Windsor, was charged with the arrest warrant for violation of a protective order that had a court-set $5,000. He was also arrested for Friday’s incident and charged with interfering with a police officer and breach of peace. Bond was set at $2,500 for those charges and he was taken to court on Friday morning, according to Perruccio.