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The incident occurred in New Haven around 10:45 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 4, at the New Haven Police substation on Congress Avenue.
According to Officer Christian Bruckhart, two officers assigned to the Hill South district were parked at the substation on Congress Avenue. While one officer was inside the building, the second remained in the passenger side of the vehicle writing a report.
That's when a man well-known to officers in the district from numerous arrests and encounters, identified as Stacey Footman, age 49, of New Haven, approached the driver’s side of the vehicle and began yelling at the officer to get out of the car, Bruckhart said.
When the officer unlocked the doors to the cruiser to exit, Footman abruptly opened the driver’s side door and got into the driver’s seat while the officer tried to push him out.
Footman then put the car in drive and quickly accelerated, Bruckhart said.
He added that fearing Footman might hit another car or person, the officer pulled the cruiser's steering wheel, causing it to crash into a church located at 584 Congress Ave., which is across the street from the substation.
The officer was able to take Footman into custody for the on-site charges and two outstanding warrants. He noted that Footman was still holding a small glass pipe in one of his hands after the collision.
Footman and the officer both sustained minor injuries and were transported to a hospital. The officer has since been released while Footman remains in the hospital under police guard on a $500,000 bond. He has been charged with:
- Larceny
- Kidnapping
- Assault on public safety personnel
- Criminal trover
- Interfering with an officer
According to New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson: “This is yet another example of the inherent risks that police officers face daily, and even when sitting in a cruiser, you are marked for violence due to your job."
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