Motorcyclist Drags Conn. State Police Trooper Trying to Flee

A man was arrested last week for allegedly dragging a state trooper more than 15 feet from a motorcycle when he tried fleeing police in Mansfield in September.

Kelvin Miranda, 23, of East Hartford was taken into custody on Friday just after 6 p.m. in the basement of his home, according to Connecticut State Police. He surrendered peacefully to troopers and officers with the East Hartford Police Department.

State police said they had a warrant for Miranda’s arrest on charges of assault on a police officer, first-degree reckless endangerment, reckless driving, disobeying the signal of an officer, interfering with an officer/resisting, misuse of a registration plate, illegal operation of a motor vehicle without minimum insurance and illegal operation of a motor vehicle under suspension.

The charges stem from an incident on Sept. 10, 2024, when state police received the report of a group of motorcyclists operating erratically in the area of Route 195 around 9:30 p.m., according to the warrant affidavit supporting Miranda’s arrest. A trooper who responded heard vehicles being revved before locating two motorcycle drivers stopped in Betsy Patterson Square in front of E.O. Smith High School.

The trooper then got behind one of the motorcyclists and flipped on his emergency lights. One of the riders left the area after making a comment to the other rider, who was standing next to his motorcycle. The trooper was able to get out of his cruiser and grab the other motorcyclist before he could drive away, the warrant affidavit said.

The man then turned the bike on and tried to leave, allegedly dragging the trooper 15 to 20 feet before the vehicle stalled, according to the warrant affidavit. The trooper claimed he tried to tell the man to stop, but he walked with the bike and tried starting it again before the policeman pulled him off. As he did, the bike fell on the trooper’s knee, allowing the man to take off on foot, the warrant affidavit said.

The trooper initially chased the man onto Route 195 and drew his taser but the suspect had gotten too far away to deploy it, state police wrote. The trooper stopped the chase because of the pain he felt in his knee and returned to the motorcycle to seize it as evidence.

The trooper was later taken to Windham Hospital for the injuries he suffered.

State police noted in the warrant affidavit that the trooper was able to grab a bag from the driver’s waist as he pulled him off the bike. The bag was later found to contain a phone and a battery for a camera affixed to the motorcycle.

Investigators with the UConn Police Department were able to retrieve camera footage that showed the motorcycle driver entering the university’s dorms and trying to fit in with the students, the warrant affidavit said. Authorities were able to get a still photograph of the suspect.

According to the warrant affidavit, an anonymous caller contacted state police two days later and identified the suspect as Miranda. In a voicemail left with investigators, the caller said Miranda was on probation and had recently been arrested by East Hartford police.

East Hartford investigators confirmed for state police that Miranda was arrested last April. According to online court records, he pleaded guilty in July to engaging police in pursuit and was sentenced to a year of probation.

The warrant affidavit for Miranda’s arrest in the Mansfield incident was signed by a judge the same day he was arrested. He was held on a $75,000 bond and was expected to appear on Tuesday in Rockville Superior Court.

_______________

Visit courant.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.