NORTH HAVEN, CT (WFSB) – A man from Holyoke, Massachusetts, was arrested on multiple charges following a high-speed chase on I-91 that ended with a collision and a police K9 apprehension.
The pursuit began on Saturday when Massachusetts State Police (MSP) alerted Connecticut State Police to a stolen green 1999 Toyota Corolla traveling southbound into Connecticut. MSP attempted to stop the vehicle, but the chase was called off before the car crossed into Connecticut.
However, the car was soon spotted again on I-91, where Connecticut State Police attempted to box it in near Exit 10. Traffic was at a standstill due to a previous accident, but the driver, later identified as 43-year-old Rolando Garcia, swerved around the police and tried to evade capture.
Garcia reversed into multiple vehicles, including two state police cruisers, and collided with a third police car on the right shoulder. Despite emergency signals, Garcia continued to flee, but his car was eventually stopped after a successful deployment of a stop stick punctured the vehicle’s tire.
After the car came to a halt between the left lane and a guardrail, Garcia attempted to flee on foot but was apprehended by a police K9. The K9 bit Garcia as he tried to escape, and he was taken to the hospital for minor injuries from the bite.
Garcia was processed on charges of reckless driving, larceny of a motor vehicle, interference with an officer, reckless endangerment, disobeying police signals, and several traffic violations. His driver’s license had been suspended.
Garcia was held on a $150,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in Meriden Superior Court on February 3, 2025. Nine vehicles were struck during the incident, but fortunately, no injuries were reported.
