Police: Woman strikes cruisers, injures officers in chase

WATERBURY, Conn. (AP) — A Connecticut woman wanted in connection with dozens of car break-ins crashed into eight police cruisers and injured seven officers during a chase Sunday that ended with her wrecking her vehicle and being taken into custody, authorities said.

Waterbury police said city officers found Hannah Casperson, 25, of Brookfield, after receiving information about her location and approached the Hummer she was in shortly after 8:30 a.m. But Casperson sped away and crashed into two cruisers before getting onto Interstate 84, police said.

Casperson struck six more cruisers before crashing into a utility pole about 25 miles away in Monroe, authorities said. She was taken to a hospital and was listed in stable condition with non-life threatening injuries, police said.

Six officers were taken to a hospital and later discharged, police said. Another injured officer did not need hospital treatment, officials said.

Police said charges against Casperson were pending. They said there were multiple warrants pending for her arrest on other charges.

Messages seeking comment were left with public defenders for Casperson in other cases.

Court records show she pleaded guilty in November to criminal mischief and failure to appear in court and was sentenced to 18 months of probation. She also has a pending case in which she is charged with interfering with police and has pleaded not guilty.

Wolcott police said Casperson and a man who was arrested Friday were wanted in connection with 41 car break-ins in Wolcott. Authorities said windows were smashed out on all the vehicles and items were stolen.