NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — At least 200 vehicles swarmed streets this weekend in New Haven and West Haven, leading to some arrests and more than $1,000 in tickets.
“When you see that, you get so frightened that things are out of control,” said one New Haven resident, who asked not to be identified.
The intersection of Whalley Avenue and Fitch Street in New Haven was the latest location of an alleged street takeover.
Workers at a nearby gas station said the group of ATV and dirt bike riders came by twice. Once at 3 p.m., and then again at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday.
The dirt bikes and, ATVs or four wheelers, rode into West Haven via Woodmont. About 200 vehicles were captured on News 8 security cameras later Sunday night at the corner of State and Elm streets in New Haven.
“They were in the gas station, Edgewood Park, they were everywhere popping wheelies, very dangerous driving… it was mayhem,” the New Haven resident said.
She was scared. Not only for her safety but for the riders.
Earlier in the day, she also saw a video of riders on Interstate 95 in New Haven doing tricks as they rode along the highway.
About an hour, later West Haven police responded to a dirt bike crash on Morgan Lane.
Officers arrested two people for driving illegal dirt bikes and said one of them was found with a loaded gun.
New Haven police said one driver crashed his ATV on the highway and his vehicle was then seized by Connecticut State Police.
New Haven police also made an arrest on Whalley Avenue.
According to police, a motorcyclist crashed into a car and became pinned underneath a vehicle at the intersection of Whalley Avenue and Fitch Street.
The man was injured but is now in stable condition. Police said the motorcyclist was issued a misdemeanor summons for reckless driving and driving on the wrong side of the road in addition to other motor vehicle charges.
Police said six ATVs were seized, and a couple of thousand-dollar tickets were written.
“We are approaching this problem multi-juridistrictly, so Wallingford police were with us, Naugatuck police, Orange police, state police,” New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson said. “So, we did have our partners with us. When you have 300 to 200 riders, the officers are overcome.”
The New Haven resident called it “a mob scene.”
“I don’t know, if maybe if [the drivers] just heard the sirens, if it would have broken it up,” she said.
