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Three people, including a 20-year-old woman, were arrested for street racing among other charges in incidents in Hartford County (in Berlin) and New Haven County (in Waterbury), Connecticut State Police announced on Monday, June 5.
Those arrested were:
- Flor Hiram Santiago, aged 43, of Meriden;
- Tednnessy William Torrellas Hernandez, aged 37, of Waterbury;
- Hannah Bartolucci, aged 20, of Feeding Hills, Massachusetts.
The arrests are part of a continuing effort by state police, local departments, and the FBI to crack down on what’s known as “street takeover” events, where illegal street racing events take place and can end in injuries, shootings, property damage, and car accidents.
Just two weeks before the most recent bust, CSP announced the arrest of a 20-year-old who they said was one of the ring leaders for street takeover events.
According to authorities, the brand-new arrests mark the beginning of the investigation’s final phase.
Santiago’s arrest came after authorities reported seeing a white Honda Civic with a drag chute and no registration conducting a late-night drag race.
After the event, the car was loaded onto a flatbed trailer pulled by a pickup truck operated by Santiago.
Police arrested him, and they discovered that the car had been stolen from Danbury and that Santiago was on his way to transport the Honda to another location.
Then, just before 1:45 a.m. on Monday, June 5, officials allegedly observed two cars racing each other side by side on westbound I-84 near Farmington.
The two racers were each going in excess of 120 miles an hour, police said.
Torrellas Hernandez and Bartolucci, the drivers involved in the high-speed race, were pulled over and arrested.
Each of the pair is charged with racing, reckless driving, and reckless endangerment, with Torrellas Hernandez facing an additional charge of improper use of colored lights/high beams.
Santiago is charged with the following:
- Racing
- Reckless driving
- Reckless endangerment
- Larceny
- Failure to renew registration
- License plate theft
- Misuse of plates
- Operating without insurance
- Operating under suspension
- Improper parking
Santiago is due in court on Monday, June 5; Torrellas Hernandez, on Wednesday, June 14; and Bartolucci on Thursday, June 22.
Additionally, detectives encourage members of the public to go to a safe location and call 911 should they come across a street takeover event.
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