NAUGATUCK — Borough police have identified the suspect in a July 2 hit-and-run involving an officer.
The suspect was interviewed by Naugatuck police over the weekend while he was in custody on separate charges at another police department, police said. The suspect confessed to driving the car that struck Naugatuck Officer Robert O’Donnell, police said.
Naugatuck police are drafting an arrest warrant for the suspect. Police said the identity of the suspect will be released after he is charged. The car involved has been seized and police are working on obtaining a search warrant for the car.
The hit-and-run occurred last Thursday at about 9:45 p.m. following Naugatuck’s fireworks display.
As people were leaving the fireworks celebration downtown, police said, a grey or light gold colored Volkswagon Golf or GTI was driving south on Church Street and ignored and officer’s signal to stop. The car drove through the intersection of Church Street onto Maple Street, nearly hitting crossing pedestrians and a different officer, police said.
The car continued east on Maple Street towards South Main Street and got stuck in traffic on the Maple Street Bridge. Three officers confronted the car and ordered the driver to stop. Police said the driver then “aggressively maneuvered the car back and forward several times and jumped the sidewalk.”
The car struck O’Donnell as it drove over the sidewalk, police said, before fleeing the scene. O’Donnell was treated for a minor leg and ankle injury and released from a local hospital.
