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08/04/2017 12:32 PMA man who struck a Branford Police vehicle after fleeing the scene of a tire theft on July 5 has been arrested.
Branford Police arrested Janssen Padilla, 36, of East Haven, on Thursday, Aug. 3 on an arrest warrant following an investigation of a tire theft at A1 Mac Motors, 117 North Main Street, Branford, on July 5.
During the July 5 incident, one of the responding patrol officers attempted to block the suspect's vehicle from leaving the parking lot. However, the suspect rammed this officer's cruiser, ultimately fleeing in a gray Jeep Cherokee. Branford Police pursued this vehicle for several miles and obtained a detailed description before they lost sight of the vehicle and terminated the pursuit. A description of the Jeep was distributed to other law enforcement agencies, and the following day, an alert East Haven Police Patrol Officer stopped a gray Jeep Cherokee believed to be used in the July 5 incident based on damage consistent with the damage to the Branford Police cruiser from being rammed. The vehicle East Haven Police stopped was operated by Padilla. Padilla was identified as by one of the responding Branford Police Officers as being the suspect in the incident on July 5.
Padilla was held on a court set bond of $100,000 for the charges of larceny in the fourth degree, assault on a police officer, interfering with an officer, engaging police in pursuit, evading responsibility, reckless driving, operating with a suspended license, and criminal mischief in the third degree. Padilla was arraigned in New Haven Superior Court on Friday, Aug. 4.