This Google Map image shows the West Main Street side of the Target store in Ansonia.
ANSONIA – A 37-year-old Waterbury man faces eight criminal charges after he allegedly fought with police on West Main Street. Two officers were injured in the prolonged struggle.
The suspect, Andrew Breda, is due back in court on May 9. He is charged with two counts of assaulting a public safety officer, resisting arrest, sixth-degree larceny, possession of a controlled substance (first offense), use of drug paraphernalia, criminal impersonation, and second-degree breach of peace.
The assault charges are felonies, the rest are misdemeanors.
The incident came to light when Ansonia Police Chief Wayne Williams talked about it with the Ansonia Board of Aldermen on April 9.
According to an arraignment report, at 4:40 p.m. Friday, March 29, Officer Jorge Nieves responded to a call reporting a shoplifting-in-progress at Target. Upon entering the store, he saw Officer Peter Lovermi III struggling to detain Breda..
Breda broke away and ran down West Main Street, according to the report.
Officer Nieves ordered Breda to stop running and to get to the ground four times. The report states that Breda lowered himself to the ground, then attempted to stand back up.
Then, Breda “continued to resist arrest by pushing (Officer) Lovermi and myself (Nieves) off of him while he was on his back,” the report states.
At this point, Breda allegedly took Officer Lovermi’s radio and grabbed Nieves’ arm, preventing the officers from calling backup. Officer Lovermi warned Breda that he would be tased if he continued to fight.
Breda continued fighting, according to police. Officer Nieves then used his Taser on Breda, but he was able to get back to his feet and advance toward Lovermi.
Officer Lovermi threw Breda to the ground, according to the report, and Officer Nieves used the Taser on Breda again – but Breda kept fighting, managing to grab Officer Lovermi’s Taser in the struggle.
Breda allegedly fired the Taser at Officer Lovermi, but Officer Nieves stuck his hand in front of the Taser and grabbed the wires.
Breda pointed the Taser at Officer Lovermi again, but Officer Nieves stopped him by striking him in the head four times with his forearm.
Officer Nieves took Officer Lovermi’s Taser back from Breda, and Officer Lovermi tased Breda again as Officer Nieves told him to get on his stomach.
Breda then ripped the Taser wires off of himself, stood up, and began walking away from officers, according to the report.
Officer Nieves tased Breda for five more seconds as he was walking away. Breda fell, stood back up, fell again, and was placed under arrest.
All three men were taken to Griffin Hospital.
Officer Lovermi sustained injuries to his face, hands, shoulder, and knees, according to the report, while Officer Nieves had bruises on his neck and right eye, cuts on his hands and knees, and scratches on his back. The report does not state Breda’s injuries.
While Breda was in the hospital, he allegedly provided hospital staff and officers with a false name, giving the name of an Oxford man who denied knowing the suspect.
Officers found wax folds in Breda’s coat as well as a clear package containing a white rock. Testing kits identified the substances as heroin and cocaine, respectively.
Target then provided officers with security footage showing a man, believed to be Breda, concealing several Zyrtec containers – valued at $19.99 each – inside his coat, before walking out of the store without paying.
Officer Nieves returned to work the following Monday, police call records show. As of April 16, Officer Lovermi had still not returned to full duty as a result of his injuries.
