Hartford County resident Steve Kaminski, age 35, of Enfield, was arrested on On Tuesday, May 25, on a warrant for the incident that took place on Friday, April 30 in front of the Home Depot in Enfield.
The incident began when a state trooper was in the store parking lot when he was stopped by two men who told him there was a man passed out in a vehicle they could wake up, said the Connecticut State Police.
The trooper pulled his cruiser up to the white Nissan Maxima and found a man inside, passed out behind the wheel of the running vehicle who appeared to be greyish and his lips had a slight blue color, state police said.
Fearing the man was suffering from a medical episode, the trooper knocked on the window and Kaminski opened his eyes and rolled down the window about six inches.
When asked if he was okay, he said he was fine, the trooper said in an incident report.
While talking with Kaminski, the trooper noticed that money on his lap and blood and numerous track marks on his left hand, the trooper said.
When the trooper asked him to get out of the vehicle, Kaminski rolled up his window, put his vehicle in gear, and then pulled out, almost running over the trooper.
Kaminski then drove off at a high rate of speed almost hitting a pedestrian and then pulled into a one-way street driving in the wrong direction, state police said.
The trooper, who couldn't follow without endangering other motorists, called Enfield Police and they searched for several hours without finding Kaminski.
Enfield Police were able to track the vehicle several days later when the vehicle was captured on camera getting on and off I-91 north for several days in a row in the morning.
In the meantime, state police posted Kaminski's photo online and in news articles, and within hours he was identified through tips.
Police found that he was on parole and had cut off an ankle monitor he was required to wear as a convicted sex offender.
A warrant was sought and granted and Kaminski turned himself in to the police.
He was charged with:
- Theft of plates
- Driving with a suspended license
- Disobeying signal of a police officer
- Engaging police in a pursuit
- Interfering/resisting officer
- Reckless endangerment
He was released on a $10,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court in July.
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