Police have arrested a man who is accused of trying to crash into multiple police cars during a chase that went through Bristol and into Plainville early Tuesday morning.
Officers in Bristol said they received multiple 911 calls around 3:30 a.m. reporting shots fired from various locations in the downtown and southwest areas of the city including on Woodland Street, Peck Lane and South Street Ext.
When police arrived, they said they found a white Audi fleeing the area and traveling north on West Street away from the South St. Ext. area. Multiple officers tried to stop the vehicle, but they were not successful.
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According to police, officers continued to search for the vehicle, encountering it several times where the driver attempted to crash into police cars, intentionally colliding with a cruiser in one case.
The police car sustained damage that was extensive enough to remove it from service for repair, police added. The officer was not injured.
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The suspect vehicle continued through the city and eventually got on Route 72 heading eastbound. At the Route 72 and I-84 interchange, the vehicle suffered a mechanical failure from the previous accident and hitting the police cruiser, investigators said.
The driver of the vehicle, later identified as 24-year-old Joseph Abreu, of Hartford, was taken into custody and is facing charges including three counts of criminal attempt to commit assault on a police officer, reckless driving, engaging police in pursuit, evading responsibility, operating with a suspended license, improper turn and criminal mischief. His three separate bonds total $1,050,000.
Investigators said Abreu was also wanted by Connecticut State Police on charges of engaging police in pursuit for an unrelated incident.
The two passengers who exited the vehicle during the incident were found, interviewed and released without charges, police said.
According to investigators, officers found fireworks in the vehicle and at this time, officers can't confirm if the sounds heard were gunfire or fireworks. A gun has not been found, they added.
Police said the vehicle involved was later determined to have been involved in an evading accident on Wolcott Street at East Street.
The incident remains under investigation.
