ANSONIA — State police are investigating after an Ansonia police officer responding to a motor vehicle leaving an accident scene shot the driver of one of the vehicles on Saturday afternoon, state police said.
The incident unfolded just after 2 p.m. when Ansonia police officer Joseph Jackson responded to a report of a car leaving the scene of an accident in the vicinity of the Maple Street bridge.
State police said as Jackson was responding, he saw a vehicle fleeing and stopped it. Shortly after the man was removed from his car, he assaulted Jackson and was able to reenter his car and flee from the scene, police said. The driver drove the car directly at Jackson, at which point the officer fired at the suspect.
After the shots were fired, the suspect managed to flee from the scene and drove to East 9th St in Derby before he was stopped at the residence of a friend, according to state police spokesman Lt. Paul Vance. The suspect passed out in the backroom of the home because of the gunshot wound.
He was taken by ambulance to Yale-New Haven Hospital to be treated for non-life threatening gunshot wounds, according to Vance.
Vance said the suspect will be released some point Sunday and will be charged upon release.
Police did not release the name of the motorist. They said it appears the motorist did not fire any shots at Jackson.
The shooting scene was secured by Ansonia police. At the request of State’s Attorney Kevin Lawlor and Ansonia Police Chief Kevin Hale, the state police Western District Major Crime Squad Detectives responded to conduct the investigation.
State police detectives assisted by Ansonia police and Milford state’s attorney’s office will document the scenes, do interviews and gather physical and forensic evidence in this case.
Jackson also was taken to the hospital and treated for minor injuries.
By Dave Altimari, Hartford Courant