Uber Eats Driver, 64, Seriously Injured In Westport Car Theft: PD

WESTPORT, CT — An Uber Eats driver suffered a serious head injury after her car was stolen outside a Westport restaurant Saturday night, which led to a car chase along Interstate 95 and the arrest of two juveniles and an 18-year-old man, according to police.

In a news release, Police Lt. Dave Wolf said a white Hyundai was stolen from a Post Road East parking lot around 7 p.m. and the owner of the vehicle, a 64-year-old woman, suffered a head injury.

According to Wolf, officers determined the Uber Eats driver was picking up an order from Golden Pizza. While inside the restaurant, she noticed a person enter her unlocked car and went outside to try and prevent the theft.

As she tried to intervene, the woman suffered a head injury. Officers also learned the person who stole the car was seen getting out of a black car moments before the theft, and both cars were last seen traveling together along Post Road East, Wolf said.

An officer stationed on the Sherwood Island Connector later saw the stolen Hyundai and a black Acura traveling together as they got onto I-95 headed toward Bridgeport. The officer activated his lights and siren and tried to get the cars to pull over, but both cars fled, Wolf said.

The officer pursued the vehicles but ultimately lost sight of the stolen Hyundai, Wolf said. The officer continued to chase the black Acura, which eventually got off the interstate at Exit 29 in Bridgeport.

After exiting the highway, the driver lost control and hit an occupied vehicle and several parked cars. Two people ran from the vehicle, however Bridgeport police quickly located and arrested them, Wolf said.

Officer later searched the Acura, which was reported stolen from Hamden earlier that day, and found a handgun inside the vehicle, however police do not believe the weapon was used during the vehicle theft on Post Road East, Wolf said.

A man identified as Giovanni Abreu, 18, and two juveniles were charged with first-degree robbery, conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery, first-degree assault on an elderly person, first-degreelarceny, conspiracy to commit first-degree larceny, third-degree larceny, criminal possession of a firearm, illegal transfer of a firearm, theft of a firearm, engaging police in pursuit and reckless driving.

Abreu was held on a $100,000 bond. Wolf said officers were completing necessary paperwork to get the two juveniles transferred to a juvenile detention facility.

The Uber Eats driver was taken to Norwalk Hospital for treatment. Police are still looking to recover the stolen Hyundai and identify and arrest the person who stole it, Wolf said.

Police Chief Foti Koskinas said he was grateful for the hard work of each officer involved in this incident, as well as their swift actions and teamwork that led to the arrests. He also thanked the Fairfield and Bridgeport police departments, as well as State Police, for their assistance.