Man Wanted In Waterbury Home Invasion Slams Into Police Cruiser During Multi

By Josh Lanier From Daily Voice

A Connecticut man accused of committing a home invasion and arson in Waterbury was arrested after a crime spree that included striking a Connecticut State Police cruiser and leading troopers on a chase through multiple towns, officials said.

Jalen Rasheed Skeete, 24, of Bridgeport, was arrested on Friday, Nov. 7, following a chase that ended with a dramatic arrest in Brookfield, Connecticut State Police said.

Troopers began searching for Skeete around 7:15 a.m. after an iPad stolen from the home invasion pinged near Long River Middle School on Columbia Avenue in Prospect, authorities said.

As officers searched, they learned Skeete had crashed into a state police cruiser in Prospect and sped away. 

Waterbury police told troopers Skeete was driving a black GMC Sierra pickup truck with New York registration KTM6247.

Troopers from Connecticut State Police Troop A were called to help locate Skeete after he was spotted driving the truck on Route 6 in Newtown, now displaying a misused Connecticut plate. 

When officers tried to pull him over, Skeete refused to stop and sped toward Brookfield on Route 25. Troopers were able to force the truck to stop, but that wasn't the end of the chase, authorities said.

Skeete jumped from the truck and ran into the woods near the Ledgewood Condominiums in Brookfield, but he didn't make it far. Police quickly tracked him down and put him in handcuffs, State Police said. 

Skeete and two troopers were taken to Danbury Hospital for medical evaluation.

Skeete was charged with reckless driving, engaging police in pursuit, evasion of responsibility, reckless endangerment, and interfering with an officer, police said. He is being held on a $500,000 bond.