Hartford Man Accused of Threatening State Police Sergeant Faces Multiple Charges
On Monday, 04/24/2023 at approximately 10:30 a.m., an on-duty Connecticut State Police Sergeant, working in a plain-clothes capacity with his State Police badge displayed, was entering his assigned vehicle which was parked on Asylum Street in Hartford. As the Sergeant began to enter his vehicle, a white male with long hair, wearing eyeglasses, seated in the driver’s seat of a silver Honda Accord began to shout at the Sergeant and asked the Sergeant if he was “a cop.” After the Sergeant confirmed that he was in fact a member of law enforcement, the unidentified male responded by saying that he “kills cops.” Using profane language, the unidentified white male went on to threaten to kill the Sergeant specifically.
In response to the threat, the Sergeant began to approach the Honda, issuing verbal directives to the unidentified male, intending to take the male into custody. The male ignored directives issued by the Sergeant and fled the area in the Honda, traveling westbound on Asylum Street. The Sergeant was able to obtain the Connecticut registration plate displayed on the Honda as it drove away and provided the information to Troop H dispatch. 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. Unable to maintain visual contact with the Honda, the Sergeant began traveling toward Troop H to continue the investigation.
A short time later, the Sergeant observed the same silver Honda traveling on Pulaski Circle and advised Troop H that he was attempting to initiate a motor vehicle stop by activating his emergency lights and siren. The silver Honda then accelerated, entering the Whitehead Highway and traveling towards I-91, where the Honda was observed traveling in a reckless and erratic manner at speeds in excess of 100 MPH. 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.
During the investigation, the Sergeant was able to positively identify the Honda’s registered owner, Raymond Lapinski (DOB: 05/31/1993), of Hartford, as the individual who had threatened to kill him and engaged in pursuit. A database check revealed that Lapinski was also the subject of active arrest warrants held 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.
After learning of the active arrest warrants for Lapinski, on 04/25/2023, State Police and members of the Hartford Police Department attempted to locate Lapinski within the city of Hartford. At approximately 9:16 a.m., investigators made contact with Lapinski who was found walking in the area of Asylum Avenue and Ann Ucello Street. After verbally identifying themselves as members of law enforcement, Troopers instructed Lapinski to lay down on the ground. In response, Lapinski reached toward his waistband and retrieved a knife. Based upon prior threats of violence made by Lapinski and his brandishing a dangerous weapon capable of causing serious physical injury or death, Troopers drew their duty weapons, at which time Lapinski complied with orders to drop the knife. The knife was secured and later seized as evidence, and Lapinski was taken into custody.
As Lapinski was being escorted to a Hartford Police cruiser, Lapinski began actively resisting being placed in the cruiser, becoming combative with Troopers and yelling obscenities. 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.
Lapinski was subsequently transported to the Hartford Correctional Center (HCC) where he was processed and charged with the following:
C.G.S 53a-167c, Assault of a Public Safety Officer (2 counts)
C.G.S 53a-49/53a-59, Criminal Attempt to Commit Assault in the 1st Degree
C.G.S 53a-167a, Interfering with an Officer
C.G.S 53-206, Carrying a Dangerous Weapon
Lapinski was held on a $1,000,000.00 bond and transferred to the custody of the CT Department of Corrections (DOC) pending his arraignment scheduled for 04/26/2023, at Hartford Superior Court.
On 04/25/2023, the arrest warrant for Lipinski relative to the threatening incident and pursuit was approved by Hartford Superior Court. On 04/26/2023, at approximately 10:00 a.m., State Police served the arrest warrant while Lipinski was still being held in DOC custody. Lipinsky was processed and charged with the following:
C.G.S. 53a-62, Threatening in the 2nd Degree
C.G.S. 53a-63, Reckless Endangerment in the 1st Degree
C.G.S. 14-222, Reckless Driving
C.G.S. 14-223, Disobeying the Signal of an Officer/Attempting to Elude or Escape an Officer
Lapinski was held on a $100,000.00 cash/surety bond and is scheduled for arraignment at Hartford Superior Court on 04/26/2023.
Arrests from several other jurisdictions are anticipated.
