WATERBURY, Conn. — A woman in a Hummer crashed into eight police cruisers and injured seven officers during a long, destructive car chase across two Connecticut communities.
The driver, 25-year-old Hannah Casperson of Brookfield, was captured after she wrecked the large SUV in Monroe, about 25 miles away from where the pursuit began in Waterbury. She was wanted in connection with 41 car break-ins and other thefts in the town of Wolcott.
Her alleged accomplice, 31-year-old Thomas Crawford, has also been arrested.
This is a timeline of the events leading up to the wild chase on April 3. The information is based on arrest warrants released by police after their arrests.
On March 11, an officer with the Waterbury Police Department reported that various parking meters on Union St. were missing. They reported that the meter heads and poles had been pulled out of the concrete.
The city’s Department of Public Works reported that no work had been conducted in the area and they denied moving any meters, according to police.
Surveillance footage from Saint Mary’s Hospital located nearby showed that on March 6 at around 4:20 p.m. and on March 8 at 2 p.m., a car – which appeared to be a white Hummer H2 – pulled up to the meter poles. A person in the vehicle exited the SUV, pulled out at least four meters, placed them in the vehicle and drove away, police said.
Police said three of the meters held about $25 each, while the fourth one had no money inside.
Investigators determined that the white Hummer was potentially involved with several other larcenies reported throughout the city.
On March 31, the white Hummer was also seen on surveillance footage in the area of Jersey St., where eight vehicles were broken into. No items were stolen in those vehicles.
On April 1, Waterbury patrol officers responded to several car break-ins along Sharon Road. Police reported that six vehicles in total were broken into and the windows had been broken out of the cars.
Three diamond rings, three sweatshirts and a pair of Jordan sneakers were taken from one vehicle, for a total value of about $6,100. About $1,000 was also stolen from a wallet in another vehicle, while a pair of $200 headphones were taken from a third vehicle. Police said nothing was taken from the three other vehicles broken into.
Police determined the white Hummer was registered under Casperson and her father, of Brookfield.
After these break-ins the Hummer was spotted by police officers, however, they were unsuccessful in pulling it over as the driver did not stop.
Also on April 1, police in Walcott responded to a condo complex on Wolf Hill Road, where 41 car break-ins were reported there and in the surrounding area. The car windows were reported to have been smashed and the cars were rummaged through. Investigators determined that the white Hummer was also suspected in these break-ins.
Later that day, around 2:30 p.m. Wolcott officers and detectives located the Hummer at Pat’s IGA. Police were also to take Crawford, who was a passenger in the vehicle, into custody. The driver, who was identified as Casperson, fled from the police.
Crawford was charged by Wolcott Police in connection to the 41 car break-ins at the condo complex. He told police that he met Casperson at a “trap house” in Waterbury about a month prior and began shoplifting stores around Waterbury.
He told police that Casperson would drive the Hummer and he would go into the stores to steal.
According to the arrest warrants, Crawford admitted to stealing the parking meters and committing the car break-ins in Waterbury. Police found a window punch and pieces of glass in his pockets at the time of the arrest.
Police got information that Casperson was parked next to a building in Waterbury and approached the Hummer shortly after 8:30 a.m. Casperson then sped away from an officer who was on foot and crashed into his cruiser and later another before getting onto Interstate 84 and then Route 8, police said.
The chase went into Monroe, where police said Casperson did a U-turn and crashed into six police cruisers that were pursuing her. After hitting the last cruiser, the Hummer flipped over and struck a utility pole around 9:15 a.m., police said. Casperson then tried to flee on foot, but was quickly arrested, officials said.
Six officers were taken to a hospital and later discharged, police said. Another injured officer did not need hospital treatment, officials said.
Casperson was arraigned at St. Vincent’s Hospital Monday. She is charged with seven counts of assault on a public safety officer, three counts of criminal attempt at assault on a public safety officer, first-degree reckless endangerment and interfering with an officer among other charges. She is held on a court set $750,000 bond and was turned over to the Department of Correction.
Jareliz Diaz is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jdiaz@fox61.com
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