West Hartford Police arrested a Hartford man Wednesday morning and he faces charges in connection with vehicle theft as well as charges related to the firearms, ammunition, and narcotics police found.

Items seized by West Hartford Police on March 15, 2023. Courtesy photo

By Ronni Newton

The driver of a stolen vehicle stopped by West Hartford Police Wednesday morning faces a slew of charges not just connected to the stolen car but also related to the loaded firearm, narcotics, and other items police found.

Sgt. Amanda Martin said in a news release Wednesday night that officers on patrol observed the stolen vehicle traveling west on New Britain Avenue at approximately 11:50 a.m. Wednesday, but the operator did not respond when officers signaled for the vehicle to stop.

Police deployed a tire deflation device, causing the vehicle to finally pull over near the intersection of South Main Street and the I-84 overpass.

According to police, Tyson Butler, 36, of Hartford, was the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle. While he was detained police searched the car and found a loaded handgun, high-capacity magazine, ammunition, cocaine, marijuana, a large amount of money, and materials used for the packaging or sale of drugs.

Butler, who according to online court records was on probation related to prior incident and has served time on convictions that include assault, threatening, interfering with an officer, and engaging police in pursuit, faces multiple new charges in connection with Wednesday’s arrest.

Police have charged Butler with operation of a drug factory, two counts of possession of a controlled substance within 1,500 feet of a school, possession with intent to sell narcotics, possession with intent to sell cocaine, criminal possession of a pistol, possession of a high-capacity magazine, first-degree motor vehicle theft, and weapons a motor vehicle.

He is being held on $260,o00 bond, which includes $10,000 bond related to an outstanding warrant for failure to appear on charges related to a Willimantic case.

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