By Justin Muszynski
Hartford Courant
NEW HAVEN, Conn. — A man faces several charges after police say he tried to commit suicide by cop when he attempted to steal a cruiser with an officer inside in New Haven on Sunday.
Two officers assigned to the Hill South District were parked at a substation on Congress Avenue, where one went inside while the other stayed in the passenger side of their cruiser to write a report, when a man approached the cruiser shortly after 10:40 p.m., according to the New Haven Police Department.
The suspect, identified as 49-year-old Stacey Footman, approached the driver’s side of the vehicle and reportedly began yelling at the lone officer to get out of the car, police said. Police noted that Footman is “well known” to officers in the district from “numerous” arrests and encounters.
According to police, Footman abruptly got into the driver’s seat after the officer unlocked the vehicle to get out. The policeman, identified only as Officer Roch, tried to push Footman out of the car, but he reportedly put the vehicle in drive and quickly accelerated, police said.
Fearing that Footman could hit a pedestrian or another vehicle, the officer grabbed the steering wheel, which caused the vehicle to crash into a church across the street from the substation at 584 Congress Ave.
The officer who was in the substation was able to apprehend Footman, who was allegedly holding a small glass pipe, police said.
Both Footman and Roch suffered minor injuries. Roch was treated at an area hospital and has since been released.
Footman remains in the hospital in police custody, as he is being held on a $500,000 bond. Police said he faces charges in connection with the cruiser incident and was also found to have two warrants out for his arrest.
Footman faces charges of second-degree larceny, second-degree kidnapping, assault on a police officer, second-degree criminal trover and interfering with an officer.
“This is yet another example of the inherent risks that police officers face daily and even when sitting in a cruiser you are marked for violence due to your job,” New Haven Chief Karl Jacobson said in a statement.
“To have a dangerous individual attempt to kidnap an officer and steal a marked police car is outrageous,” Jacobson said. “The suspect then attempts to be in a suicide by police officer scenario and the officers deal with this taking him into custody. I am thankful that no one was seriously injured, and I commend Officer Roch for his quick thinking that kept this from being something far worse.”
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