A suspect in a stolen car fleeing police nearly collided with the Derby mayor before crashing on Main Street near City Hall Friday.
The suspect then took off on foot, setting off a brief but intense manhunt in downtown Derby. Police found the man hiding behind Archie Moore’s, a restaurant on Elizabeth Street.
Police identified the suspect as Kareem Mayo, 39, of New Haven.
The incident started at about 11:30 a.m., when an officer on patrol tried to stop an Infiniti the man was driving for a simple motor vehicle violation. The vehicle had been reported stolen out of Hamden.
The car took off, traveling from Olivia Street and then down the wrong way on Sixth Street, where it took out a road sign and lost its front bumper.
Diners at the new River House Cafe at the corner of Elizabeth and Fifth streets saw the car fly by.
The Infiniti made its way to Minerva Street after passing Elizabeth Street, where there was a bustling crowd outside the courthouse.
The vehicle floored it, reaching an estimated speed of 60 mph, according to a radio transmission from a police officer.
Mayor Anita Dugatto was in her blue Volvo attempting to leave Sterling Plaza on Minerva when the speeding car rushed by.
“I don’t know how fast he was going. As I pulled out he had to move over,” Dugatto said.
The audio clip below features the officer describing the fleeing vehicle, and makes mention of the mayor’s Volvo.
Mayo made it to Main Street before smashing into a lamp pole. He then took off on foot.
Police from Ansonia, Seymour and Shelton responded to help find Mayo.
Meanwhile, crowds of onlookers gawked at the scene throughout downtown.
A police dog from Shelton tracked Mayo to a hiding spot behind Archie Moore’s.
He was brought out an alley next to restaurant in handcuffs and put into a police car on Elizabeth Street.
Derby police said Mayo will be charged with a “variety” of criminal and motor vehicle offenses. He was still being processed as of 2 p.m.
According to Judicial Branch records, Mayo has been ordered rearrested in connection with skipping court dates on charges in New Haven, Bridgeport, and Derby.
Derby police charged Mayo with sixth-degree larceny, criminal impersonation, interfering with an officer, and possession of drug paraphernalia on April 21, according to court records.
He was released on a promise to appear in court in that case, but a judge ordered him arrested June 3.
He faces forgery, larceny, and impersonation charges in Trumbull and Stratford for which he was ordered rearrested April 29, as well as a larceny case out of Branford and forgery and larceny charges in East Haven for which he was ordered rearrested June 2.
His criminal record includes a narcotics selling conviction based on a June 2006 arrest in Seymour for which he was sentenced to serve 54 months behind bars in September 2006, according to court records.
