Man charged after threatening state police sergeant in Hartford

By Evan Sobol

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    HARTFORD, Connecticut (WFSB) — A Hartford man who allegedly threatened a state police sergeant is facing several charges.

Authorities said on April 24, an on-duty Connecticut state police sergeant was entering his police vehicle on Asylum Street in Hartford. He had his state police badge displayed and was in a civilian clothing.

A man with long hair and eyeglasses who was sitting in a silver Honda Accord shouted at the sergeant, police said.

As the sergeant entered his vehicle, the man asked if he was “a cop,” state police said.

The sergeant confirmed he was a member of law enforcement.

Police said the man then told the sergeant that he “kills cops.”

“Using profane language, the unidentified white male went on to threaten to kill the Sergeant specifically,” state police said.

The sergeant then approached the man and tried taking him into custody, said police. That’s when the man fled the scene and drove westbound on Asylum Street.

“The Honda then came to a stop a short distance away, where the unidentified male leaned out the vehicle’s window, displayed an obscene hand gesture and yelled profanities at the Sergeant before continuing westbound on Asylum Street,” state police said.

Police later tried stopping the man on Pulaski Circle. He then fled onto the Whitehead Highway towards I-91 at speeds faster than 100 mph, police said.

“In the interest of public safety, efforts to stop the Honda were terminated in the area of I-91 southbound in the area of Exit 28,” said state police.

The sergeant later identified the suspect as Raymond Lapinski, 29, of Hartford.

Authorities learned there were active arrest warrants for Lapinski by two local police departments.

“State Police then drafted an arrest warrant for Lipinski relative to the threatening incident and pursuit, which was submitted to Hartford Superior Court for review,” state police said.

State police and Hartford police began searching for him again on Tuesday morning.

They found Lapinski walking near Asylum Avenue and Ann Ucello Street, authorities said.

Lapinski took a knife out of his waistband when officers told him to get on the ground, police said. He dropped the knife when troopers drew their weapons.

“The knife was secured and later seized as evidence, and Lapinski was taken into custody,” said police.

As Lapinski was brought to a Hartford police cruiser he resisted and yelled obscenities at officers, authorities said.

“The State Police Sergeant that Lapinski is accused of threatening the day before and a State Police Detective each sustained minor injuries during the struggle to secure Lapinski in the cruiser,” said state police.

He was taken to Hartford Correctional where he was charged with two counts of assault of a public safety officer, criminal attempt to commit assault first-degree, interfering with an officer, and carrying a dangerous weapon.

Lapinski was held on a $1,000,000 bond and was taken to the CT Department of Corrections. He was arraigned in Hartford court on Wednesday.

In relation to the threatening incident and pursuit on Monday, Lapinski was charged with threatening second-degree, reckless endangerment first-degree, reckless driving, and disobeying the signal of an officer/attempting to elude or escape an officer.

He was held on a $100,000 bond for those charges and was in Hartford court on Wednesday.

“Arrests from several other jurisdictions are anticipated,” state police said.

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