MIDDLETOWN, Conn. — Two people face several charges after striking a Middletown police cruiser while trying to escape officers.
Officers with the Middletown Street Crime Unit were surveilling the area of Silver Street and Eastern Drive around 11 p.m. Tuesday. Officials said there had been recent complaints of drug activity.
While there, detectives saw two vehicles enter the secluded area of the property. One of the vehicles was a black Nissan Altima, and police said it left the property just moments after it arrived.
According to officials, detectives suspected that the people inside the car were involved in drug activity based on the short amount of time they spent on the property and the fact that there was no visible marker plate. Police said that suspects involved in drug sales often remove their marker plates to avoid being identified.
Middletown detectives followed the Nissan to River Road at Harbor Drive by Route 9. The detectives activated their emergency lights to try and stop the Nissan, and one of the detectives blocked the car's path from the found, while another blocked the back.
As one of the detectives approached the Nissan, the driver, later identified as 32-year-old Shicondra Perry, threw the car into reverse and sped back, colliding with the police cruiser behind her.
According to police, Perry sped forward and drove directly at another detective. Officials said that it appeared that Perry was trying to hit the detective to flee from the scene, but the detective managed to dodge the car's path and wasn't injured.
Perry then sped north on Harbor Drive before heading onto Route 9 north.
Detectives and other Middletown patrol officers were able to catch up with Perry near exit 25, the off-ramp to Route 99 in Cromwell. Police had noted that the back bumper of the Nissan had broken off after hitting the cruiser and was dragging behind them.
According to police, Perry was speeding and recklessly swerving between lanes while driving in the breakdown lane.
Police said that her driving put the public and Perry, along with her passenger, later identified as 40-year-old Kevin Morant, in danger. The decision was made to continue the chase.
Perry then drove onto Interstate 91 northbound, and officers were able to block her path. However, Perry continuously swerved toward the cruisers while trying to speed away. The pursuing officers eventually blocked Perry's path and ended the chase without any other incidents around exits 25 and 26 in the area of Route 3 in Wethersfield.
While detectives investigated the car, they found a digital scale often associated with drug sales and a glass pipe associated with drug use, according to police. Officials said that Morant told police he had encouraged Perry to keep driving and not stop for the officers.
Morant was charged with first-degree conspiracy to commit reckless endangerment, conspiracy to commit reckless driving, and conspiracy to commit engaging police in a pursuit and was held on a $500,000 bond.
Perry was charged with first-degree reckless endangerment, possession of drug paraphernalia, reckless driving, engaging police in a pursuit, failing to drive in the proper lane, and failure to display plates. She was held on a $500,000 bond.
Both are expected to appear at Middletown Superior Court on Wednesday.
Jennifer Glatz is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jglatz@fox61.com.
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