WATERBURY -- Police said a local man injured an officer while attempting to flee last week.
Henry Ortiz, 25, was in the front seat of a blue 2011 Hyundai Accent when he switched to the driver's seat, put the vehicle in reverse and tried to drive off, according to Lt. Ryan Bessette.
"During the escape attempt, the vehicle's door struck one officer, causing the officer to fall to the ground and hit his head on the sidewalk causing an abrasion," Bessette said in a news release Friday. Bessette also noted that Ortiz struck a nearby vehicle.
After a brief struggle, a second officer was able to stop the vehicle and both officers took Ortiz into custody, according to Bessette.
The incident occurred on Dec. 4 around 3:15 p.m. near Cherry Street. Police were patrolling the area when they saw the vehicle, which had been involved in multiple larcenies throughout the state, Bessette said.
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Police were placing the driver, 56-year-old John Richard, into a police cruiser when Ortiz tried to escape. Richard, of Shelton, had an active felony warrant out of Seymour, according to Bessette.
Ortiz was charged with unsafe backing, second-degree breach of peace, assault on a police officer, first-degree reckless endangerment, driving with a suspended license, two counts of interfering with an officer and one count of evading responsibility. Bessette said Ortiz had several active warrants and is in the custody of the state Department of Corrections on $256,000 bond.
Richard was released to Seymour police and served with a felony warrant for a larceny, Bessette said.