Griswold/Plainfield/Canterbury/Scotland/Windham/Columbia, CT – Following a road-rage incident, a 19-year-old New Britain man, and his passenger, led Connecticut State Troopers on a high-speed pursuit through multiple towns Thursday evening.
According to the Connecticut State Police (CSP), at approximately 4:34 PM on Thursday, August 8th, 2024, Troop E-Montville received reports of a road rage incident occurring on I-395 Northbound in the area of Exit 21 (Rt 12) in Griswold. The caller reported the occupants of a white BMW X5 SUV had brandished a firearm out of their window at the caller.
Troopers immediately responded to the area and attempted to stop the white SUV in the area of Exit 24 (Rt 201). It became immediately apparent the vehicle was refusing to stop and permission to engage in the pursuit was requested.
- A trooper or police officer may only engage in a vehicle pursuit if he or she has reasonable suspicion to believe the driver or occupant(s) of the pursued vehicle has committed, is attempting to commit or will imminently commit a crime of violence (actual or threatened), or there are articulable exigent circumstances that warrant the need to apprehend the suspect in a timely manner because of the potential for harm to the public if apprehension does not occur.
- (a) Infractions, property crimes (including stolen vehicles), non-violent misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies are not cause to engage in pursuit, absent articulable exigent circumstances
Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, Administration and Operations Manual, Section 13.07.01 – Vehicle Pursuits – Revised March 8, 2022
As detailed in the policy above, Troopers are only able to engage in pursuits if a violent crime has been committed or one is imminent. This policy has been largely criticized due to being significantly less aggressive than neighboring states causing inter-state pursuits to be terminated as they enter Connecticut.
In the case of this incident, the Trooper in charge determined there was justifiable means to engage in the pursuit while continuously re-evaluating the threat it posed to the public. Troop E Troopers immediately engaged and Troops D and K were notified and shifted Troopers to the region to assist when the pursuit crossed barracks jurisdictions.
The pursuit exited I-395 in Plainfield and continued on state roads at a high rate of speed, at one point speeds around 130 mph were reported. The vehicle continued Westbound from Plainfield through Canterbury, where it nearly struck a Troop D cruiser head-on as it traveled on Route 14. The pursuit continued through Scotland, and Windham, before finally ending in Columbia. During the pursuit, Troopers attempted at least one stop-stick deployment to disable the vehicle’s tires but it was unsuccessful.
The vehicle finally stopped on Route 6 in Columbia and the operator and passenger fled on foot. Several K9 Teams were deployed to track the suspects. K9 Ghost successfully tracked the driver to an empty EastCONN school bus near the scene where he was apprehended.
Troopers worked for several hours attempting to locate the passenger but were unsuccessful. Through a follow-up investigation, Troopers learned the passenger is a minor whose identity is known to them. The CSP have indicated there is no ongoing threat to the public.
When troopers searched the vehicle on the scene they located cocaine and a firearm consistent with the original report from the 911 caller. Troopers also learned the vehicle was stolen out of Ridgefield, CT.
The driver, identified as 19-year-old Jadin Coakley of New Britain, was arrested and held on a $150,000 bond for the following charges:
- Illegal Possession of a Weapon in a Motor Vehicle (29-38)
- Interfere with Officer/Resisting (53a-167a)
- Reckless Endangerment 1st Degree (53a-63)
- Threatening 1st Degree Armed/Displayed Firearm (53a-61aa(a)(3))
- Larceny of a Motor Vehicle – 2nd Offense (53a-119c*)
- Larceny 6th Degree (53a-125b)
- Possession of a Controlled Substance (21a-297(a)(1))
- Engaging Police in Pursuit (14-233(b)**)
- Reckless Driving (14-222)
This incident is still under investigation by the Connecticut State Police Troop E. Anyone with information relevant to this case is asked to contact Trooper Liam Flanagan at Troop E- Montville at 860-848-6500 or by email at liam.flanagan@ct.gov.
Agencies that responded included the Connecticut State Police Troop E, D, and K.
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