On Tuesday, Dec. 1, at around 6:30 p.m., police responded to a report of a violent domestic disturbance on Taylor Street in Manchester. A female victim said that she had been strangled, assaulted, and threatened by her ex-boyfriend Stephen Soboleski, Manchester Police said.
Soboleski, 30, of Naugatuck, had allegedly fled the scene in a motor vehicle before police arrived, but was soon spotted on Taylor Street, police said.
Police were led on a car chase into Vernon. In the area of Brighton Lane in Vernon, Soboleski allegedly got out of the vehicle and fled on foot into the woods, police said.
A Manchester Police K9 was used to track down the suspect. The K9 led police through the woods to the area of Meadowbrook Drive. Soboleski was allegedly found there hiding in a shed, police said, curled up on the floor and armed with a knife.
Soboleski was arrested and charged with:
- Strangulation, first degree;
- Threatening, second degree;
- Assault, second degree;
- Disorderly conduct;
- Breach of peace, second degree;
- Burglary, third degree;
- Reckless endangerment, first degree;
- Carrying a dangerous weapon;
- And engaging police in a pursuit, police said.
Soboleski is being held on a $100,000 bond, police said.
In 2009, Soboleski pled guilty to first-degree manslaughter and was sentenced to 12 years in prison, according to court documents. On his way to the fair, at age 21, Soboleski fatally stabbed childhood friend Justin Savage with a knife, according to the Republican American archives. They were arguing over cigarettes.
It is unclear when Soboleski was released from prison. His maximum release date on the manslaughter conviction is in March 2021, according to Connecticut inmate records.
More recently, Soboleski was arrested in May on reckless driving charges. Soboleski has two court appearances scheduled for January 2021.
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