A police vehicle was stolen during an investigation into a carjacking Thursday afternoon and the suspect crashed into a Bristol diner, according to Bristol police.
Around 12:18 p.m., the Bristol Police Department was investigating a carjacking that occurred in Farmington when a police vehicle was stolen and there was a pursuit, Bristol police said.
The suspect, who was driving the police SUV, crashed into Palma's Diner at 100 Stafford Ave. in Bristol, police said.
Farmington Police said they responded to Scott Swamp Road, also known as Route 6, near the Bristol line for a reported motor vehicle complaint. Officers were then notified that the car crashed into a rock wall in the area, and the driver fled.
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Then, the driver allegedly tried to steal multiple cars at knife point from an apartment complex in Farmington before ultimately taking one of the cars and driving off, according to authorities.
A man was injured during the exchange and was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
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Police said the man, 39-year-old Jimmie Shoemaker-Gonzalez, headed into Bristol, where he was found by officers and taken into custody.
It's unclear how he then ended up in a police vehicle.
Bristol Police said there is no threat to the public and Shoemaker-Gonzalez has been taken into custody. He was charged with larceny in the first degree and is being held on a $1 million bond.
Everyone who was in the diner is safe, according to a Facebook post from the Palma family and diner staff.
It’s not clear when the diner will open.
“These are things that you can’t really plan for and it’s really unfortunate when this happens,” said Paul Palma, whose family owns the restaurant.
“The property will be replaced. That’s what insurance is for. People’s lives are the things that you can’t replace,” he said.
The incident is being investigated by Connecticut State Police and the Office of the Inspector General.
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