STAMFORD, Conn. — A Stamford man is facing charges after illegally displaying a gun and violating probation.
Police said Jerry Diaz, who has a 'lengthy history' with the department, was arrested Wednesday afternoon.
Diaz had been arrested before for his involvement in a crash that claimed the lives of two of his passengers inside the car. That crash happened on August 29th, 2019 at the junction of Canal Street and Ludlow Street.
On Wednesday, police were called to a business at 27 High Ridge Road on an initial report of harassment.
Ofc. Yanicky of the Traffic Enforcement Unit, recognized Diaz’s name on the dispatch screen and saw that Diaz had been seen driving a vehicle.
Police said Diaz is currently out on bond on several felony charges related to the double fatal crash in 2019 and it was a non-financial condition of release that Diaz was to not drive a vehicle.
Ofc. Yanicky contacted Ofc. Timothy Speer and informed him of the situation, according to police.
Ofc. Speer, also familiar to Diaz, went to Diaz's home where the car he was suspected of driving was found unoccupied.
Ofc. Chris Brown was investigating the initial complaint and was told by the victim that during the incident, Diaz displayed a gun and pointed at her and one of her co-workers in a threatening manner. Police notified officers at the house that a gun had been displayed.
As the officers investigated, they saw a gray Chrysler 300 with heavily tinted windows exit the driveway of Diaz’s residence at a high rate of speed.
According to police, officers believed that Diaz was in the car. Ofc’s Speer and Matos caught up to the car and made a motor vehicle stop on Henry St.
They approached the vehicle and found Diaz in the passenger seat, police said.
Both Diaz and the driver were removed from the vehicle. Diaz was placed under arrest for the incident at 27 High Ridge Rd.
Police said during a search of the passenger side of the car where Diaz had been, a .380 Caliber Smith and Wesson semi-automatic handgun, with an extended high capacity magazine, was found underneath the passenger seat.
The weapon was loaded with a total of 11 rounds of ammunition, including one round in the chamber, ready to fire, police said. He was also reportedly found in possession of 14 pills which were later determined to be ecstasy.
Diaz was transported to the Stamford Police Department where he was charged with the following charges:
- Threatening 1st degree (2 cts)
- Reckless Endangerment (2 cts)
- Possession of a pistol w/o a permit
- Possession of a high capacity magazine
- Having a weapon in a MV
- Possession of a controlled substance
- Possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell
- Violation of conditions of release 1st degree
- Operation of a MV under suspension
Diaz was currently out on a total of $400,000 in bonds for his various pending charges. Based on what happened in this case, he is being held on an additional bond of $750,000.
The driver of the car is not facing charges at this time.
