ASHFORD, Conn. — An Ashford man is facing multiple charges after admitting to police his plans to allegedly attack employees of a nursing home and threaten police, as well as use a police response to harm himself, according to Connecticut state police.
James Zigadlo, now 39, was arrested in June 2023 on several traffic and vehicle violations, and has been in the custody of the Connecticut Dept. of Correction since then. He was arrested while in court in July 2024 on additional charges for criminal attempt to assault a first responder, criminal use of a weapon and criminal attempt at assault.
An employee of Davis Place, a nursing home in Killingly, called police just after 1 a.m. in June 2023 to report a suspicious vehicle. The responding trooper saw a man later identified as Zigadlo get in the vehicle and speed away and drive erratically, nearly hitting the cruiser in the process, according to the arrest warrant.
Zigadlo admitted to police during his arrest that he "was upset with the mistreatment of his mother" while she was at the nursing home before she died, according to the arrest warrant, and that Zigadlo "wanted revenge" by using his weapons on the workers. Zigadlo admitted to police he was thankful he did not follow through with his plan, the arrest warrant states.
Just before 4 a.m. that same morning, state police and firefighters in Ashford responded to Zigaldo's apartment on Bicknell Road for a fire. Zigadlo also admitted to police during the arrest he started the fire in his kitchen before leaving to go to Davis Place.
Plainfield police found Zigadlo's vehicle parked on Green Hollow Road around 5:45 a.m. with flat tires and an empty firearms box in the trunk.
Zigadlo had two registered firearms, but police did not find any weapons in Zigadlo's apartment and found the empty firearms box in the truck of the abandoned car, leading state police to determine he was to be considered armed and dangerous.
About an hour later, Zigadlo was found near an overpass of Interstate 395 hiding behind a tree. After police took Zigadlo into custody, troopers found a loaded shotgun leaning on the tree.
Zigadlo also admitted to being in a mental health crisis and planning to point his firearms at police to encourage deadly force on him, according to the arrest warrant.
Zigadlo faces a $500,000 bond for the most recent set of charges. Additional charges are pending, state police said.
---
Do you have a story idea or something on your mind you want to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at newstips@fox61.com
---
HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET FOX61 NEWS
Download the FOX61 News APP
iTunes: Click here to download
Google Play: Click here to download
Stream Live on ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching FOX61.
Stream Live on FIRE TV: Search ‘FOX61’ and click ‘Get’ to download.
