NAUGATUCK — A Waterbury man is facing drugs and weapons charges after a pursuit Thursday night that ended when the man ran from the car armed with a gun, according to police.
Police said the incident started at about 9:30 p.m. when Officer John Williams spotted a black 2019 Mazda CX5 that was suspected to be involved in a drug deal on Maple Street near South Main Street.
The driver of the Mazda, later identified as Devon Maurice Abney, 27, of 91 Virginia Ave., Waterbury, fled onto Route 8 south, police said.
Williams followed the car onto Route 8 and lost sight of it, police said. As he was turning around at exit 24 in Beacon Falls, police said, he saw the car parked in the on-ramp to Route 8 north with Abney still sitting inside.
Police said Abney got of the car holding a handgun, turned to Williams and then ran on foot into nearby woods. Additional officers responded to the scene and set up a perimeter. Naugatuck police Officer Ian Kosky and K9 Vane tracked Abney, who was found nearby and taken into custody without further incident, police said.
Police say they found 190 bags of heroin, 11 grams of crack cocaine, two illegal 16-round 9mm magazines, two sandwich bags with marijuana in them and $2,320 Thursday night.
Officers returned to the scene Friday morning and found a loaded 9mm Smith and Wesson handgun with a 30-round extended magazine next to the Naugatuck River, police said.
How Abney, who can’t own a handgun due to a previous misdemeanor charge, got the handgun is under investigation, police said.
Police charged Abney with first-degree reckless endangerment, criminal possession of a firearm, criminal use of a weapon, interfering with an officer, carrying a pistol without a permit, illegal possession of narcotic, sale of certain illegal drugs, reckless driving and illegal operation of motor vehicle under suspension.
Abney was held on $1 million to appear in Waterbury Superior Court on Monday.
Youth Poison dealer. Lock em up!
Restrict guns and their possession so thugs like this can hold you up with one.