NEWS
ATV rider injured after crashing into New Haven police cruiser protecting pedestrians, officials say
By Matthew P. Knox,
Staff Writer
April 30, 2024
NEW HAVEN — An person illegally riding an ATV through East Rock Park Sunday was seriously injured when they crashed into a police cruiser protecting pedestrians, according to police. ... Police said the officer was assigned to detail focused on addressing ongoing complaints of illegal and reckless drivers in the city. They responded to the area of East Rock Park around 3:40 p.m. with reports that a group of riders was congregating there, police said.
The officer entered the park using Farnam Drive, which is only for pedestrian traffic, and came across an ATV driving on the road at a high rate of speed as many pedestrians, including families with children, walked in the vicinity, according to police. ... To protect the pedestrians, the officer slowed down and angled their cruiser to block them, while giving the ATV room to go around the cruiser. However, the ATV rider lost control and struck the front passenger-side window of the cruiser, police said. ... Officers immediately called for medical assistance, and the ATV rider was transported to the hospital with serious injuries, according to police.
{snip}
Earlier in April,
a city police officer was seriously injured after being struck by an ATV illegally riding on the street. ... New Haven police Officer Christian Bruckhart, a spokesperson for the department, said at the time that the officer was trying to stop a group of ATVs riding through the streets when he was struck by one of the operators. The
officer suffered a broken leg and was said to be recovering, according to officials.
April 30, 2024
Matthew P. Knox
BREAKING NEWS REPORTER
Matt is a breaking news reporter for the Hearst Connecticut Media Group. He formerly covered crime and courts for the Journal Inquirer, from 2016 until the JI was acquired by Hearst in 2023.
= new reply since forum marked as read