BLOOMFIELD, Conn. — A Bloomfield police officer suffered minor injuries after he was struck by a fleeing vehicle during a traffic stop on Monday morning.
The patrol officer, who was not identified by police, was conducting a traffic stop of a 2006 black Honda Accord with a misused license plate attached just before 11 a.m. on Monday at the corner of Mountain Ave. and Regency Drive in Bloomfield.
According to a press release, the driver – identified as 37-year-old Rafelito Ares of Torrington – refused to cooperate during the stop and fled. The officer, who was standing by the driver’s side door, was struck by the side door and mirror of the vehicle and knocked to the ground.
Bloomfield police pursued the fleeing vehicle into West Hartford, where the town’s police department deployed spike strips to deflate the vehicle’s tires. The pursuit ended about seven miles from where it began at 109 Ridgewood Road in West Hartford.
The Bloomfield officer and Areas suffered minor injuries and did not require hospitalization.
Ares is now facing multiple charges including assault of an officer, assault in the 2nd degree, carrying a dangerous weapon, reckless driving and improper use of a market plate. He was also processed for five active criminal warrants.
Additional information on the nature of those warrants was not immediately available.
---
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.
Steam Live on FIRE TV: Search ‘FOX61’ and click ‘Get’ to download.
