Plainfield, CT — A Plainfield man is in critical condition after crashing a motorcycle Friday evening. Preliminary information indicates he may have been fleeing from police at the time of the collision.
According to the Plainfield Police Department, at approximately 9:39 p.m. on Friday, April 17, 2026, officers were notified by Quinebaug Valley Emergency Communications (QVEC) of a reported motorcycle crash in the area of Plainfield Pike (Route 14A) and New Road.
Upon arrival, officers located a heavily damaged 2016 Harley-Davidson FLHX off the roadway in a wooded area. The operator, 39-year-old Jonathan J. Charron of Plainfield, was transported to Backus Hospital in Plainfield and later flown by LIFESTAR to Rhode Island Hospital, where he remains in critical condition.
Preliminary information indicates that moments before the crash, a Connecticut State Police trooper assigned to patrol Route 14A attempted to stop the motorcycle. The motorcycle reportedly fled and crashed within seconds while still in view of the trooper.
It remains unclear whether any active pursuit had begun prior to the crash, though there is currently no indication a pursuit occurred.
Connecticut State Police policy notes that pursuits involving motorcycles present heightened risks. Under department guidelines, such pursuits are generally prohibited for routine motor vehicle violations and are limited to circumstances involving deadly force or the protection of life.
Preliminary information further indicates the trooper immediately began rendering aid and requested EMS and an air medical helicopter within moments of the collision.
The Connecticut State Police were unable to immediately verify those details, and the Plainfield Police Department was not immediately available for additional comment.
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Court records indicate Charron was charged in 2020 and later found guilty of Illegal Operation of a Motor Vehicle. In July 2025, he was charged and later found guilty of illegally operating a motor vehicle without an ignition interlock device following an incident in Plainfield. It is unclear whether he had any active license restrictions at the time of Friday’s crash.
The collision remains under investigation by the Plainfield Police Department’s Accident Reconstructionist and members of the Special Investigations Unit.