Waterbury Releases Body Camera Video Showing Driver Ramming Police Vehicles

Seven Waterbury police officers were injured over the weekend when a woman struck eight police vehicles and they have been released from the hospital, police said. While they are out of the hospital. they are on workers' compensation, police said.

On Monday afternoon, police released police body camera video.

Waterbury Police Chief Fernando Spagnolo commended the officers for how they handled the response.     

He said the estimate on the damage to the police vehicles is around $135,000 and two vehicles might be totaled.

The news conference was held after the arrests of 25-year-old Hannah Casperson, of Brookfield, and 31-year-old Thomas Crawford, of Naugatuck.

Police said Casperson was wanted in connection to dozens of vehicle break-ins in Wolcott and was taken into police custody after hitting several Waterbury police cars and then losing control and crashing her vehicle in Monroe on Sunday morning.

Police in Wolcott said 41 vehicles had their windows smashed out in the area of an elderly complex on Wolfs Hill Road, Munson Road and Brooks Hill Road last week and items were stolen.

Authorities in Wolcott said they found the white Hummer believed to be involved in the car break-ins at the Pats IGA lot on Thursday.

Casperson saw police and fled into Waterbury, police said.

At the same time, detectives entered the store and saw the man who’s accused of breaking all 41 car windows heading towards the exit.

Crawford was stopped immediately and arrested, police said.

Investigators said he was wearing the same coat on Thursday that he wore when the break-ins occurred.

A warrant was issued for Casperson.

On Sunday morning, police in Waterbury said they received information about where she and the white Hummer were located.

Officers responded to Rutledge Street and East Main Street around 8:45 a.m. and found the white Hummer and authorities said Casperson was identified as the driver.

She sped up, into a police car, fled the area and got onto Interstate 84 West, police said.

A short time later, Casperson hit a telephone pole on Wheeler Road and Route 111 in Monroe and was taken into custody, police said.

In Monroe, authorities said, Casperson hit seven Waterbury police cars and six were heavily damaged.

Seven Waterbury police officers were taken to the hospital to be treated for injuries that officials said were not life-threatening. They have been released and are on workers' compensation.

Casperson was transported to St. Vincent's Hospital in Bridgeport to be treated and officials are working on arrangements for her to be arraigned.

Investigators said she had multiple outstanding warrants.

Crawford is facing charges including 41 counts of burglary, 41 counts of conspiracy to commit burglary, 41 counts of conspiracy to commit larceny and 41 counts of criminal mischief. Police said Crawford has several previous arrests including failure to appear and is being held at the Wolcott Police Department on a $75,000 bond.