Arrests made following street takeovers on Route 9, I-84

(WFSB) – State police made arrests following street takeovers that happened over the weekend Route 9 and I-84.

The first incident happened around 11:26 p.m. Sunday night on Route 9 in Berlin.

Police saw the driver of a white Honda Civic running a drag race. The Civic did not have a license plate and had a drag chute on the back.

“Troopers later observed the Honda Civic being loaded onto a flatbed trailer pulled by a pick-up truck and made a traffic stop,” state police said.

Police learned the Civic was stolen out of Danbury and the trailer’s plate was “misused.”

“The operator was transporting the Honda to a secondary location when Troopers initiated a motor vehicle stop,” said police.

State police identified the driver as 43-year-old Flor Hiram Santiago of Meriden.

Santiago was taken into custody and charged with racing, reckless driving, reckless endangerment second-degree, larceny first-degree, failure to renew registration, misuse of plates, theft of plates, operating without insurance, operating under suspension, and improper parking.

Authorities said Santiago was held on a $500,000 bond and was arraigned in New Britain Superior Court on Monday.

He was wanted by East Hartford police for the larceny charge, officials said.

“The Ford F-350, the Honda Civic and the towing trailer were all seized as evidence in this investigation,” said state police.

State police said more arrests were made in a second incident early Monday morning around 1:43 a.m.

It happened on I-84 west near Exit 39 in Farmington. Two drivers were seen traveling side-by-side at speeds faster than 120 mph.

Troopers with Troop H and Troop A stopped the drivers in Waterbury.

State police identified the drivers as 37-year-old Tednnessy William Torrellas Hernandez of Waterbury and 20-year-old Hannah Bartolucci of Feeding Hills, Massachusetts.

Torrellas Hernandez and Bartolucci were taken into custody and charged with racing, reckless driving, and reckless endangerment first-degree.

Torrellas Hernandez was also charged with improper use of color lights/high beams.

According to police, Torrellas Hernandez and Bartolucci were each released on a $10,000 bond.

Hernandez is set to be arraigned in Hartford Superior Court on June 14 and Bartolucci is set to be arraigned in Hartford on June 22.

Bartolucci’s Toyota Camry and Torrellas Hernandez’s Hyundai Veloster Turbo were seized as evidence.

In the street takeover investigations, state police said they are assisted by local law enforcement agencies and the FBI.

“Based upon the tumultuous behavior exhibited by participants during previous incidents, and in the interest of preserving public safety, the Connecticut State Police are providing members of the public with advance notice for their safety. As intelligence information is received, the locations of anticipated street racing events are being shared by both State Police social media accounts and/or accounts managed by local police departments,” state police said.

Billboards around the state show the message “YOU RACE IT, YOU LOSE IT.”

“Your State Troopers remind all operators: If you come across a takeover event, please turn around and seek an alternate route to a safe location. Call 911 to report the incident, if it is safe to do so,” state police said.

“The Connecticut State Police, along with the FBI are continuing their proactive efforts to deter and disrupt these illegal street racing events within the state of Connecticut,” said state police.

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