Bridgeport Man Crashed Into Vehicles In Westport Construction Zone: PD

WESTPORT, CT — A 34-year-old Bridgeport man was arrested on drunken driving and evading responsibility charges late Tuesday, after Connecticut State Police he smashed into a vehicle and a truck at a Westport construction site, and fled the scene.

Jose Ernesto Velazquez-Pastrana was arrested northbound on Interstate 95 near Exit 23, not long after state police said he crashed into the vehicles at about 11:30 p.m. near Exit 17 northbound.

State police said a driver, whose vehicle was hit by Velazquez-Pastrana's black Honda, followed the car on I-95 and alerted state police.

"A responding trooper located the Honda traveling northbound in the left lane in the area of Exit 20 and observed that it was drifting from the median into the center lane, failing to properly maintain a travel lane," state police said in a statement.

Once the trooper was able to pull Velazquez-Pastrana over, the trooper saw that the vehicle was damaged.

In speaking with Velazquez-Pastrana, the trooper "detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from Velazquez-Pastrana’s person," and had him perform roadside sobriety tests, which Velazquez-Pastrana allegedly failed.

Velazquez-Pastrana was taken into custody and charged with the following:

• Failure to Maintain Lane in a Construction Zone
• Operating a Motor Vehicle Under the Influence of Alcohol, Drugs or Both in a Construction Zone
• Evading Responsibility in a Construction Zone
• Failure to Move Over for a Non-Emergency Vehicle in a Construction Zone

He was released after posting a $1,000 non-surety bond, and is scheduled to appear in Bridgeport Superior Court on April 25.