A West Hartford man remains in custody on a slew of charges after 360 bags of fentanyl and other drugs were found in his possession.

By Ronni Newton

What began as a motor vehicle stop for misuse of a license plate turned into a foot chase by West Hartford Police and the arrest of a local man on a slew of charges including sale of narcotics and operating a drug factory.

Capt. Michael Perruccio said that the West Hartford Police Department’s Community Support Unit (CSU) attempted to stop a vehicle just after 1:30 p.m. on April 3 because the license plate did not belong to that vehicle.

The operator of the vehicle, identified as Hector J. Perez, 30, of Stevens Street in West Hartford, “had a history of not stopping for police,” Perruccio said, and failed to respond to a request by CSU to pull over, instead driving to the dead end of Stevens Street where he fled the vehicle on foot.

Police gave chase by foot, and apprehended Perez just over the town line in Newington.

According to police, a search of the vehicle Perez had been driving yielded 360 bags of Fentanyl, eight grams of “crack” cocaine, and a small amount of marijuana. Police also found heroin and cocaine on the ground where they apprehended Perez.

Police said that juveniles had been in the car with Perez, and remained in the vehicle when he stopped and fled on foot.

One officer sustained minor injuries during the chase, police said. They said that Perez also sustained minor injuries.

Perez has been charged with sale of narcotics, operating a drug factory, possession of drug paraphernalia, interfering with an officer, engaging police in pursuit, assault of an officer, second-degree reckless endangerment, risk of injury to a minor, and multiple motor vehicle violations.

Perez is currently being held on $175,000 surety bond, and is due in court on May 2.

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