NORWALK, Conn. — A Norwalk man has been charged with a series of crimes after state police investigated social media videos that showed him driving his classic Chevy at speeds well over 100 mph.
Joseph D. Tavella, 36, of Norwalk, was charged with Reckless Driving, Operation of a Motor Vehicle While Using a Hand-held Mobile Telephone/Electronic Device and Reckless Endangerment in the 2nd Degree
Tavella was held on a court-set $100,000 bond Tuesday and transported to Stamford Superior Court for a same-day arraignment.
Police said videos posted to Facebook and Instagram on March 27 under the profile for Joe Tavella III and included the description “69 nova pro touring Is2 procharged."
The 18 second video showed the inside of a vehicle with a Chevrolet emblem on the steering wheel accelerating from approximately 56 MPH to 133 MPH, based on the vehicle’s speedometer.
In the video, investigators could see the reflection on the dashboard/windshield of a white male, with visible tattoos on his right arm, recording the video using a hand-held cell phone which was held in his left hand.
The profile also showed a vehicle with license plate that matched the car in the video and then identified it as a 1970 Chevrolet Nova, registered to Tavella.
Troopers spoke with Tavella and admitted to driving the vehicle on Route 7 and recording the video.
Doug Stewart is the Senior Digital Content Producer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dstewart@fox61.com.
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