West Hartford Police said two people were apprehended after the stolen car they were in, that was involved in a shots-fired incident in Hartford, crashed into a school bus.

A Kia Sportage that had allegedly been involved in a shooting incident in Hartford crashed into a school bus near the intersection of Farmington Avenue and Trout Brook Drive in West Hartford on Monday afternoon. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

By Ronni Newton

The driver and passenger who were in a stolen car involved in a shots-fired incident in Hartford earlier in the day were apprehended in West Hartford on Monday afternoon after the car, being driven on flattened tires after running over stop sticks deployed by West Hartford Police, crashed into a school bus near the intersection of Farmington Avenue and Trout Brook Drive.

West Hartford Police Capt. Daniel Moffo said police were notified earlier Monday to be on the lookout for a stolen car, a Kia Sportage, that had been involved in a shots-fired incident in Hartford.

Officers located the vehicle in West Hartford, and attempted a stop but the operator failed to comply and engaged police in pursuit.

A Kia Sportage that had allegedly been involved in a shooting incident in Hartford crashed into a school bus near the intersection of Farmington Avenue and Trout Brook Drive in West Hartford on Monday afternoon. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Moffo said units successfully deployed a tire deflation device, which flattened the tires, but the vehicle continued to flee until becoming disabled near the intersection of Farmington Avenue and Trout Brook Drive after colliding with a school bus. The driver of the Kia and a passenger – who sustained non-life-threatening injuries – were apprehended at the scene by West Hartford Police.

Police said the school bus was not occupied other than by the driver, who sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

Hartford Police take someone into custody Monday afternoon at the scene where a Kia Sportage, that had allegedly been involved in a shooting incident in Hartford, crashed into a school bus near the intersection of Farmington Avenue and Trout Brook Drive in West Hartford on Monday afternoon. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Both the driver and the passenger of the Kia were turned over to Hartford Police and members of an associated task force, Moffo said. Their names were not provided and We-Ha.com has reached out to Hartford Police for further details which were not immediately available.

The intersection of Trout Brook Drive and Farmington Avenue was closed for several hours for investigation and clean-up of the scene, but reopened to traffic shortly before 7 p.m.

A Kia Sportage that had allegedly been involved in a shooting incident in Hartford crashed into a school bus near the intersection of Farmington Avenue and Trout Brook Drive in West Hartford on Monday afternoon. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

A resident of the neighborhood near Duffy Elementary School said she was outside with her children when she heard sirens and then witnessed the Kia racing through the area near Belcrest Road, Westminster Drive, and Chapman Road, followed by police. Westminster dead-ends at Rockledge Golf Course and the witness said the driver of the Kia braked when they reached the end of the road, and drove across a lawn to continue to flee.

The witness shared some photos of the tire tracks on a lawn, and a K-9 unit checking for anything that may have been thrown out of the windows of the vehicle as it was fleeing.

Damage to a lawn in the Duffy neighborhood caused by the driver of a stolen car fleeing from police. Courtesy photo

A K-9 unit checks the Duffy neighborhood after the driver of a stolen car raced through the area while fleeing from police. Courtesy photo

Damage to a lawn in the Duffy neighborhood caused by the driver of a stolen car fleeing from police. Courtesy photo

“The WHPD is committed to apprehending individuals posing an immediate danger to our community members as safely as possible,” Moffo said. “It’s incidents such as these that remind us how valuable partnerships between WHPD and HPD members can be. This remains an active and ongoing investigation.

West Hartford Police said there is no threat to the public, and they remain involved in the investigation of the motor vehicle collision portion of the incident.

Anyone with information related to this investigation is asked to please contact West Hartford Police at 860-523-5203 or via the anonymous tip line 860-570-8969 or email [email protected].

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