Farmington Woman Arrested After Chase in Stolen Car Hits Cruiser

In the early hours of Monday, a police pursuit kicked off on Interstate 91 near Wethersfield. It wound through several Hartford-area towns before officers arrested a Farmington woman, who they found asleep in a stolen car.

It all started as a welfare check on a driver slumped over the wheel. That routine call turned into a wild chase across Connecticut towns and a hefty list of charges.

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Overnight Police Pursuit Begins on I-91 Near Wethersfield

State police say it began around 1:40 a.m. on I-91 southbound near Wethersfield. That stretch sees plenty of commuters from Hartford, Newington, and Rocky Hill.

A trooper on patrol noticed a vehicle blocking part of a lane. The driver, later identified as Seneca Quintton Ann Josey, 28, of Farmington, slumped over the wheel, didn’t respond at first.

The trooper, worried Josey was in distress or impaired, walked up and told her to turn off the engine. She didn’t listen. Instead, she hit the gas and sped away, setting off a chase that would cross several towns.

Stop Sticks Deployed as Driver Takes Off

As Josey took off, troopers tossed out stop sticks, hoping to disable her car and stop the chase. The car ran over the stop sticks, but even with the damage, she kept going south.

The pursuit pulled officers through Wethersfield and onto Route 3, a busy connector for folks from Glastonbury, East Hartford, and nearby towns.

During the chase, troopers say Josey hit speeds up to 75 mph. She weaved through traffic, blew past signals, and even crossed into oncoming lanes.

Her driving was flat-out reckless and put other motorists at risk, especially those traveling late between Middletown and New Britain.

Troopers Terminate Chase for Safety, But Search Continues

With the danger mounting, state police decided to end the pursuit. That’s a move police departments across Connecticut—from Bridgeport to New Haven—often make when a chase gets too risky.

Even though troopers called off the chase, officers from other departments kept searching for the fleeing car. Dispatchers coordinated between state police and local cops in the greater Hartford area, including Glastonbury officers on the lookout for the suspect vehicle.

Glastonbury Cruiser Struck as Vehicle Flees Again

Police in Glastonbury eventually spotted the car. Investigators said Josey hit a police cruiser and then sped away again.

The crash damaged the cruiser, but officers kept tracking the vehicle—without launching another high-speed chase.

Soon after, officers found the car parked near UConn Avenue, a road familiar to commuters from Manchester and West Hartford. At first, it looked empty, but officers soon found Josey asleep in the back seat.

Suspect Found Asleep in Stolen Car Near UConn Avenue

Officers approached and found Josey lying in the back. When they woke her, police say she tried to climb into the driver’s seat, maybe hoping to drive off again.

Officers acted fast, stopped her from leaving, and arrested her on the spot.

During their search, police uncovered some troubling details. Turns out, the car had been reported stolen from Simsbury on November 23rd.

Inside, officers found needles and several registration plates. That raised more questions about what happened to the car in the days since it went missing.

Charges Filed: Larceny, Reckless Driving, Drug Paraphernalia

State police say Josey now faces a stack of charges, including:

Larceny of a motor vehicle

Reckless driving

Possession of drug paraphernalia (needles found in the vehicle)

Resisting arrest

There may be more charges as the case moves forward. The mix of a stolen car, dangerous driving, and drug evidence has caught the attention of police in Farmington, Wethersfield, Glastonbury, and Simsbury.

High Bond Set as Case Moves Through Connecticut Courts

Josey is sitting in jail on a $250,000 bond. That’s a hefty sum, and it shows just how seriously officials are taking the charges and the risk they think she poses to public safety.

Her case is moving through the Connecticut court system now. Prosecutors will look at the pursuit, the alleged theft in Simsbury, and whatever evidence they pulled from the car.

It’s tough for law enforcement to balance public safety with the need to catch suspects, especially late at night. When traffic thins out, speeds go up, and things can spiral fast.

For people living anywhere from Hartford to Simsbury, this case is a pretty sharp reminder. Even a routine traffic stop can suddenly turn into a police chase that crosses town lines.

Here is the source article for this story: Farmington woman arrested after pursuit in stolen car, hits cruiser before being caught

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