Thursday, December 10, 2020
A Bridgeport man was apprehended Wednesday night after he ran from the scene of a motor vehicle accident on Main Street and leading police on a search that lasted for several hours. Damien A. Sanchez, age 41, of Main Street, Bridgeport, assaulted an off-duty Trumbull Police officer at the accident scene as he fled, but was eventually apprehended by police a short distance away.
The off-duty Trumbull Police officer, Sgt. James Arlio, observed Sanchez’s vehicle traveling Northbound on Main Street, near Broadway Road, when it crossed the centerline and struck an oncoming vehicle head-on. As Arlio was checking on the condition of the vehicle occupants, he observed Sanchez attempting start his vehicle in attempts to leave the scene. Sanchez then exited his vehicle, and Arlio told him not to leave. When Arlio turned to check on the other driver, Sanchez pushed the officer to the ground, causing minor injuries, and Sanchez ran off. The Monroe Police Department and Connecticut State Police were notified and assisted with the search, which included K9 teams from both Trumbull and Monroe.
Sanchez was then transported to Trumbull Police headquarters where he was processed and charged with a variety of offenses, which include: Assault on a Police Officer, Assault on a Person Over 60, Interfering with Police, and Possession of Less Than One Half Ounce of Marijuana. He was held on a $25,000 bond for the criminal charges. Sanchez was also charged with motor vehicle offenses, including: Failure to Drive Right and Evading Responsibility, with an additional $500 bond. He is scheduled to appear in Bridgeport Superior Court on December 21, 2020.