Routine West Hartford Traffic Stop Leads To Major Drug Bust: CSP

WEST HARTFORD, CT — A traffic stop on Interstate 84 in West Hartford Saturday turned into a major drug bust with a New Britain man and a Bristol man being taken into custody.

According to Connecticut State Police, two male suspects were charged with various drug, weapons, and motor vehicle charges Saturday night, Oct. 12.

Police said the following suspects were charged:

• Steven Yariel Igartua-Algarin, 25, of Bristol, was charged with failure to maintain lane; operation of a motor vehicle without insurance; possession of narcotics with intent to sell; possession of a controlled substance; use of drug paraphernalia; and possession of a large-capacity magazine.

He was released on $75,000 bond and is slated to appear in Hartford Superior Court Nov. 12.

• Jose Orlando Felix, 29, of New Britain. was charged with possession of narcotics with intent to sell; possession of a controlled substance; use of drug paraphernalia; carrying a pistol without a permit; illegal possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle; illegal transfer of a firearm; and possession of a large-capacity magazine.

Felix was released on $50,000 and will appear in Hartford Superior Court Nov. 12.

According to police, at about 8:55 p.m.Saturday, a trooper from the state police Troop H barracks in Hartford was on patrol on Route 9 north, just prior to the intersection with Interstate 84.

That's when police said he noticed a black Dodge Ram pickup truck failing to maintain its proper lane on the highway.

The trooper, police said, continued to follow the truck onto I-84 in West Hartford's eastbound lane.

The officer then noticed the pickup cross the fog line into the shoulder of the highway, with the officer then checking the vehicle's registration, which showed its insurance status was "unconfirmed."

This prompted the officer, once backup arrived, to pull over the truck via lights/siren on I-84 East near Exit 41 in West Hartford, police said.

The operator complied and pulled into the right shoulder, "but only after one of the troopers had pulled ahead of them with their emergency lights activated," wrote police.

As the trooper began his investigation of the truck, Igartua-Algarin was identified as the driver, with Felix identified as the passenger, police said.

Police said Igartua-Algarin had "trembling hands" and Felix wasn't making eye contact with the trooper.

"As their behavior amongst other observations became indicative of possible criminal activity, Igartua-Algarin was asked to step out of the vehicle for further investigation," wrote state police in a release Monday.

Igartua-Algarin was asked if he had any weapons and he said he had a 9 mm handgun in his shorts, police said, prompting him to be detained in handcuffs without further incident.

This prompted the second responding trooper to detain Felix in handcuffs.

Further evidence prompted troopers to call in a state police drug-sniffing K-9 unit to the scene, with the police dog immediately sensing narcotics in the vehicle.

A search of the vehicle resulted in police finding a loaded, high-capacity magazine; digital scales; and powder-like substances suspected to be crack cocaine and fentanyl.

All items found were seized and the duo was taken into police custody and processed at Troop H in Hartford.

For the full state police news page, click on this link.