WATERBURY, Conn. (WTNH) – Three juveniles have been taken into custody after allegedly robbing and beating two high school students before crashing into a Waterbury police cruiser.
On Thursday around 7 a.m., officers responded to the area of Highland Ave. and Pear Street for the report of two high school students, ages 15 and 18, being robbed and beaten while at the bus stop.
Around 9 a.m., officers located the suspect’s vehicle driving northbound on Highland Avenue. The car then struck a Waterbury Police Department cruiser during a head-on collision.
After the crash with police, two juvenile females and a male fled from the car and were later taken into custody by officers.
The officer involved in the crash was brought to the hospital and was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. The officer has since been discharged from the hospital.
All three of the suspects were brought to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
The suspect’s car, a blue Audi station wagon, was reported stolen from La Tavola Ristorante on Highland Ave. in Waterbury on Wednesday.
We spoke to the victim’s son over the phone on Thursday. He says his mother was inside eating dinner. When she left the restaurant around 10:30 p.m., her car was gone.
“It’s only not the first case we’ve heard of,” Andrew Eisen explained. “This is the first time I’ve heard it happening at a restaurant in Waterbury but not so surprising.”
The ordeal, Andrew says is a sad reminder of the times we’re living in.
Waterbury Police chief Fernando Spagnolo agrees, “This is another dangerous incident in our community which involved juveniles operating stolen motor vehicles who have a history with the criminal justice system of committing violent crimes and continue to further endanger others.”
The incident is active and ongoing.