WEST HAVEN — A routine patrol by a West Haven Police officer on Shore Patrol detail led to a vehicle chase and the arrest of two individuals on Sept. 12.
At around 10:10 p.m., the officer was closing beach parking lots when a Honda CRV was spotted inside a closed lot with its lights off.
When the officer attempted to approach the vehicle to inform the occupants that the lot was closed, the driver accelerated and fled onto the street.
The officer pursued and subsequently stopped the Honda a short distance away.
The driver, identified as 19-year-old Jayden King of East Hartford, was taken into custody without incident.
Further investigation revealed that the passenger, 18-year-old Darius Aquino of New London, was in possession of a handgun with a round in the chamber, a high-capacity magazine with thirty-nine bullets, and Psilocybin mushrooms.
King was processed and charged with failure to display headlamps, disobeying the signal of an officer, and reckless driving.
Aquino faced charges including possession of a controlled substance, possession with intent to sell a narcotic substance, having a weapon in a motor vehicle, and possession of a large capacity magazine.
Aquino was held on bond, and both suspects are scheduled to appear in Milford Superior Court.
