EAST HAVEN, Conn. — FOX61 is digging deeper into the dramatic dashcam video that shows a dangerous chase in East Haven. Luckily, no one was hurt. But it was a close call and it left residents and law enforcement, shaken up.
More than 24 hours later and you can still see the tire marks in the dirt. You can see the shattered glass and the broken fence. The incident took place on Hudson Street just as the school day began.
“He just whacked my car!” an officer can be heard saying on the dash cam as the suspect vehicle strikes his vehicle. Moments later there was a second collision that caused the suspect vehicle’s airbags to deploy.
“Anybody could have gotten hurt with those kids driving that car. Anybody,” remarked East Haven resident Genaro Basilio.
The dramatic incident unfolded just feet away from where he has lived for 60 years.
“Next thing I knew there were 10 or 12 police cars down here and they went up to the car and we’re going to start taking people out,” described Basilio.
It all started at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday. East Haven police spotted a Hyundai that they identified as being stolen from New Haven. They pursued it to Hudson Street. It’s a dead-end road. They eventually pinned the vehicle between a tree and fence as officers moved in. They pulled five juveniles out of the vehicle.
The teens have been charged with larceny, assault on police and burglary among other charges.
“I think our state is doing something wrong. We are failing our kids,” said State Rep. Vincent Candelora. He represents East Haven and told FOX61 it’s indicative of a bigger problem. “We shouldn’t just be releasing these kids right after a crime occurs. If they need to be held, they should be held."
He’s in favor of reopening Connecticut’s shuttered Juvenile detention facility in Middletown.
“I understand that it had its pitfalls. But shifting them into group homes under DCF care without proper training and supervision isn’t the solution either,” said Candelora.
The incident in East Haven could have been a lot worse. Kids play on the nearby tennis courts all day just feet away from the Melillo Middle School and East Haven Academy. Both were placed on lockdown during the chase and capture.
“Where were the parents? Why weren’t the kids in school? I don’t understand that,” said Basilio.
Both residents and lawmakers told FOX61 that teens today live in a world of distraction and temptation ranging from drugs and gambling to social media mania. FOX61 reached out to the East Haven police to comment on this story, but no one got back to us.
Matt Caron is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at mcaron@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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