A man is accused of crashing into a police cruiser in East Haven this month before leading police on a pursuit that ended when he crashed on Interstate 95.
Robert Andrus, 39, of New Haven was charged Friday in connection with the crash and chase on Oct. 2, according to Capt. Joseph M. Murgo of the East Haven Police Department.
He faces charges of interfering with officer/resisting arrest, first-degree reckless endangerment, engaging police in pursuit, evading responsibility with injury or property damage, improper use of marker/license/registration, operating/parking an unregistered motor vehicle, illegal operation of a motor vehicle without minimum insurance, reckless driving and operating a motor vehicle without a license.
Andrus appeared in New Haven Superior Court on Friday following his arrest. His case was continued to Nov. 7.
He remains held on bonds totaling just over $55,000 in connection with multiple pending cases, court records show.
According to Murgo, officers shortly after 10 p.m. learned that the driver of a Honda Civic with a stolen license plate on it failed to stop for a Branford police officer and that the vehicle was associated with a history of baiting police into pursuits.
About 30 minutes later, an East Haven officer spotted the Honda near Kimberly Avenue and advised other units that the driver entered the TJ Maxx parking lot on Frontage Road. Another officer arrived and spotted the vehicle exiting the nearby parking lot of Work ‘n Gear. Murgo said the officer positioned his cruiser in front of the suspect.
The Honda driver reversed his vehicle and attempted to flee, striking the front passenger side of the officer’s cruiser, Murgo said. The driver ignored the officer’s commands to stop and fled onto I-95 northbound. The officer was not injured.
According to Murgo, East Haven officers pursued the vehicle briefly but stopped soon thereafter because of the suspect’s reckless driving.
Shortly thereafter, Connecticut State Police troopers located the vehicle on I-95 near Exit 61, Murgo said.
State police said a trooper spotted the vehicle, which was being driven erratically, and followed the Honda as it exited the highway from the Exit 61 off-ramp and merged onto Route 79 north in Madison.
As the trooper continued to follow the Honda, state police said that the driver failed to stay in one lane and disregarded multiple traffic control signals. The driver also allegedly refused to stop and engaged police in pursuit when the trooper put the cruiser’s emergency lights and sirens on, according to state police.
State police said that the driver repeatedly disobeyed traffic control signs as he continued north before merging onto I-95 north from the Exit 60 on-ramp. He then began weaving in and out of traffic, nearly hitting other drivers, state police said.
According to state police, the Honda then exited the highway from the Exit 62 off-ramp, crossed the Hammonasset Connector southbound travel lane and struck a metal beam guardrail in the median, disabling the vehicle.
The trooper rushed over to the wreck and ordered the driver, identified as Andrus, out of the vehicle upon finding that he was not injured, state police said. Andrus allegedly resisted arrest and grabbed the steering wheel before a trooper could handcuff him, according to state police
A male passenger in the vehicle suffered minor injuries and received treatment at the scene before being taken to Yale New Haven Hospital.
Andrus was transported to state police barracks Troop F in Westbrook. He allegedly showed signs of impairment while he was being booked and was asked to take multiple field sobriety tests, which he reportedly failed, state police said.
Andrus was charged by state police with interfering with police, reckless endangerment, engaging police in pursuit, reckless driving, improper use of a marker plate, operating a motor vehicle without a license, operating a motor vehicle under the influence and numerous other motor vehicle violations.
East Haven police at the time said they would pursue an arrest warrant for Andrus in connection with the allegations in their town.
“This arrest underscores the department’s commitment to public and officer safety, addressing actions that pose significant risk to both,” Murgo said in a statement Monday.
