MANCHESTER — A Manchester police officer was hospitalized after being involved in a crash late Monday morning and the driver involved is facing charges.
The accident happened near the Superior Court building at West Center and Cooper Streets shortly before noon. A police officer had been responding, with his emergency lights activated, to a call for an emotionally disturbed person.
Officials at the scene said a driver ran a stop sign and hit the cruiser.
Both drivers and one passenger were taken to the hospital for evaluation. The driver was arrested and charged with driving under the influence after admitting to smoking marijuana two hours before the crash.
The driver, identified by police as Diego Vazquez, Agreda, of Hartford, was cited in March 2014 for possession of marijuana as well. He is now charged with driving under the influence, possession of less than 1/2 ounce of marijuana (second offence), possession of less than 1/2 ounce of marijuana with intent to sell, possession of drug paraphernalia and failure to obey an officer’s signal.
The passenger in the car, identified as Juanita Burto, 19, was charged with possession of less than 1/2 ounce of marijuana and failure to wear a seatbelt.
