Norwich police officers injured in collision

January 11, 2013 5:00 am • Last Updated: August 03, 2015 2:34 pm

By Izaskun E. Larrañeta

Norwich police investigate at the scene the scene of an accident at the intersection of Prospect St. and 10th Street in Norwich after police were in pursuit of a silver Ford F-150 pickup truck and ended in a crash involving the cruiser, pickup and two parked vehicles late Thursday evening, Jan. 10, 2013.

Norwich — Two police officers were injured late Thursday when a car they attempted to pull over crashed into their cruiser.

At about 11:15 p.m., Officers Kenneth Wright and Christopher Nott stopped a motor vehicle in the area of Boswell Avenue and Seventh Street. After a brief interaction with the officers, the driver of the vehicle drove away at a high rate of speed.

Officers briefly followed the vehicle onto Prospect Street, but soon called off the pursuit. The officers lost sight of the car as it continued south on Prospect.

Apparently, police said, the driver turned onto a parallel street and began to travel north in the direction of the two officers who were no longer pursuing the vehicle. When the driver turned left again and failed to stop at a stop sign, the vehicle collided with the officers' patrol car at the intersection of Prospect and Tenth streets, police said.

Wright and Nott were injured in the collision and each were treated at William W. Backus Hospital then released.

Police charged the driver of the vehicle, Romance W. Brown, 24, of 191 Laurel Hill Ave. with second-degree assault, reckless driving, interfering with police, failure to obey a stop sign and engaging police in pursuit.

Three parked cars also were damage in the crash.

A stop sign and the Tenth Street sign also were damaged and were still on the ground early Friday morning. A torn fender from one of the parked cars rested on the doorstep of a home at 258 Prospect St.

A passenger in the car, Jamal D. Wright, 43, of 44 Norwich Ave. was arrested on charges unrelated to the collision - interfering with police, third-degree criminal mischief and failure to submit to fingerprints.

This is not the first time the pair have been arrested together. In July 2009, they were charged with robbing and assaulting a man on West Main Street in Norwich.

Both men were being held on bond, pending their arraignment Friday in Norwich Superior Court.

This is the second time this week that Norwich police officers were injured while responding to a call. Officer Jonathan Ley was shot multiple times Monday during a standoff with a suicidal man at the Cedar Glen Apartments on Cedar Street. Ley was released from the hospital Thursday.

i.larraneta@theday.com

Norwich police and fire personnel tend to an injured police officer involved in an accident at the intersection of Prospect St. and 10th Street in Norwich after police were in pursuit of a silver Ford F-150 pickup truck and ended in a crash involving the cruiser, pickup and two parked vehicles late Thursday evening, Jan. 10, 2013. The police officer sustained a head injury and was transported to the William W. Backus Hospital. The parked vehicles belong to Rhonda Sutherland and Todd Morang, who reside at 258 Prospect. At least one suspect in the pickup was found hiding in the back of the truck after the crash and was transported to Backus.

The interior of the injured officer's cruiser that was damaged during a car chase that ended at the intersection of Prospect Street and 10th Street in Norwichs late Thursday evening, Jan. 10, 2013. The police officer sustained a head injury and was transported to the William W. Backus Hospital.

Norwich police and fire personnel at the scene the scene of an accident at the intersection of Prospect St. and 10th Street in Norwich after police were in pursuit of a silver Ford F-150 pickup truck and ended in a crash involving the cruiser, pickup and two parked vehicles late Thursday evening, Jan. 10, 2013.

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