#Westport CT– On Tuesday December 26, 2017 at approximately 5:00am, Westport Police dispatch received a call from a citizen in the Saugatuck area of town. The caller reported that he observed several individuals exit a white vehicle, enter his yard and then attempt to open the car doors on his vehicles. Patrol units began responding to the area at which time a second 911 call was received by dispatch from a separate citizen residing in the same general area. He also observed several individuals exit what he described as a white Audi sport utility vehicle and enter his yard. The caller confronted the suspects who reportedly got back into their vehicle and fled the immediate area. Officer Michael Tomanelli was one of the first responding units to arrive in the vicinity of the calls, at which time he observed the suspect travel around a curve on Harbor Road at a high rate of speed and cross over the double yellow line into his path of travel.
Officer Tomanelli attempted an evasive maneuver, however the suspects drove straight at his patrol vehicle in an apparent intentional act, thereby causing extensive disabling damage to both vehicles and injuring Officer Tomanelli. He was transported to the hospital for evaluation. At that time, it was believed that at least four suspects exited the vehicle and fled in different directions from the accident scene. Mutual aid units including K9 units were contacted and responded from the Connecticut State Police, Fairfield Police Department, Greenwich Police Department, and Norwalk Police Department. The Westport Police Department’s Marine Unit also responded to the scene to search and monitor the shoreline and adjacent waterways. The Westport Police Department’s drone was deployed to survey the area from overheard and
thermal imaging devices were also utilized by officers on the ground. A perimeter was quickly set around the affected area and canine tracks directly led to the apprehension of three suspects. A fourth and fifth suspect were also later apprehended due to a coordinated effort by the units on scene.
The suspects’ vehicle was found to have been reported stolen out of Weston, Connecticut on December 23, 2017. It was also confirmed that the suspects had been attempting to enter vehicles in the area where the calls originated from. At this time those incidents are still under further investigation.
