MIDDLETOWN — A fleeing driver backed up into a police car and sped toward a detective before leading authorities on a high-speed chase Tuesday night, officials said.

The driver, Shicondra Perry, 32, of Liberty Street in Middletown, and passenger Kevin Morant, 40, of Lebanon Street in Hartford, were arrested and they were each in custody early Wednesday on $500,000 bail.

There were no reports of injuries stemming from the pursuit or from what happened beforehand, Middletown police Lt. Brian Hubbs wrote in a news release.

According to Hubbs, detectives conducting surveillance on Silver Street tried to stop the black Nissan Altima shortly after 11 p.m. because they suspected its occupants had been involved in a drug transaction. They also noticed the car had no visible license plate.

They followed the car to River Road at Harbor Drive and activated their emergency lights in an effort to stop the car. One police car blocked its path from the front and a second blocked it from the back, but as a detective got out and approached the Nissan, the driver "put the vehicle in reverse and accelerated backwards, striking the Middletown cruiser behind it," Hubbs wrote in the release.

The driver, later identified as Perry, then quickly pulled forward in what appeared to be an attempt to hit another detective, but the investigator was able to get out of the way, Hubbs said.

The Nissan headed north on Harbor and got onto Route 9 North, he said.

Police caught up with the car near Exit 25 and saw that the driver was speeding and "recklessly swerving between lanes," according to the release. The rear bumper had broken off from striking the police car and was dragging behind the Nissan. Officers continued to pursue the car because of the reckless manner in which it was being driven, Hubbs said.

The Nissan continued heading north on Interstate 91 and swerved toward police cars that tried to block its path, he said. Police eventually were able to stop the car between exits 25 and 26 in Wethersfield.

Police found a digital scale and a glass pipe, which often are associated with drug sales, Hubbs said.

Perry was arrested and charged with first-degree reckless endangerment, possession of drug paraphernalia, reckless driving, engaging police in a pursuit, failure to drive in proper lane and failure to display plates.

Morant was charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree reckless endangerment, conspiracy to commit reckless driving and conspiracy to commit engaging police in pursuit because he told police he encouraged Perry to keep driving and not to pull over, he said.