HARTFORD - A dramatic early morning chase through the streets of Hartford's south end on Saturday ended in a crash, and the capture of a man wanted by police since another crash that happened in February.
According to Hartford Police Dept. spokesman Lt. Paul Cicero, at about 7:30 Saturday morning police and fire personnel were called to the area of New Britain Avenue and Zion Street for a report of person in a parked car who might have been in medical distress. When they got there, police said the driver woke up, and took off in the car.
As he did, he hit a Hartford Fire Department truck, but continued west on New Britain Avenue until he hit a utility pole and then crashed into an unoccupied house off Nepaug Street. The driver had leg injuries and was taken into custody and given medical care. A gun was found in the car.
When police identified the driver, they knew why he fled. Joseph Barreto, 24, was wanted in connection with a deadly car crash on February 19 at the intersection of Ward and Zion streets. Police believe that Barreto was driving a car stolen out of New Britain, ran a red light causing a fatal accident, and then ran away. Barreto was also wanted for a seperate incident, a shooting, on Tuesday.
The charges from those previous incidents include first-degree criminal attempted assault, unlawful discharge of a firearm, second-degree manslaughter, and other charges. He is being held in lieu of $750,000 bail.