William Trueheart racked up a slew of charges Saturday in what reads like a scene from the video game Grand Theft Auto.
After Trueheart crashed his Jeep Cherokee into a utility pole Saturday, a police officer responded to the accident. While Officer Thomas Smith surveyed the scene, Trueheart allegedly hopped into Smith’s police cruiser and took off, according to police.
A chase ensued, leading Trueheart to flee on foot before allegedly attempting to steal a second cruiser. This time, the officer had taken his keys with him. It was game over for Trueheart, who was apprehended shortly thereafter.
The Torrington resident was set to appear in court Tuesday, but the case has been transferred from Bantam to Litchfield Superior Court, where more serious cases are heard. He is scheduled to appear on Sept. 16.
Trueheart was held on a $50,000 bond. He was also held on two active arrest warrants out of Waterbury and Newtown. These have court-set bonds of $25,000 and $20,000, respectively. In a release, Winchester police wrote that they expect additional charges on Trueheart based on the results of a search warrant.
According to a release from Winchester Police, Smith came upon a motor vehicle accident at 1:25 a.m. A Black Jeep Cherokee had collided with a utility pole and wires were down across the roadway. Smith found a male, later identified as Trueheart, at the scene and exited his cruiser to survey the accident scene.
“While Ofc. Smith was investigating,” the release states, “Trueheart got into Ofc. Smith’s cruiser and fled the scene, nearly running Ofc. Smith over.”
As this was occurring, Officer Michael Gagne pulled up to the scene. Gagne followed the other police cruiser, which sped off north on Torrington Road and then east on New Street. According to police, Trueheart crashed near the intersection of New Street and Moore Avenue, resulting in heavy damage to the cruiser.
Trueheart then allegedly fled from the cruiser, taking off on foot. Gagne followed. Trueheart circled around, according to police, and hopped into the front seat of Gagne’s cruiser, again attempting to commandeer a police car but found no keys in the ignition.
Officer Chris Roy arrived next and spotted Gagne attempting to pull Trueheart from his vehicle. This struggle, police wrote “resulted in the gear shifter being ripped from the steering column by Trueheart and rendering that cruiser also inoperable.” Trueheart was then cuffed and taken into custody. Both he and Gagne were treated for injuries at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital.