Man Accused of Crashing Stolen Car into Darien Officer Arraigned

Angel Vega, age 37, of Stamford was arraigned at Stamford Superior Court Wednesday after he crashed what police say was a stolen Nissan Xterra into a police cruiser, sending Darien Police Lt. Thomas Krois to the hospital.

Police say Lt. Krois is at home recovering with a badly swollen right ankle and hopes to be back at work soon.

Vega is being held on bond at Bridgeport Correctional Center after facing a judge on a host of charges that include second-degree assault with a motor vehicle operation while under influence of liquor or drug, disobeying the signal of an officer, interfering with an officer, reckless driving and possession of controlled substance.

Police say the incident began on Tuesday afternoon in Stamford, where they say Vega stole a car from the Stamford business where he worked, crashed a number of times and led police on a chase across town lines. Police believe Vega was under the influence at the time.

According to police, Lt. Krois was one of several Darien officers assisting Stamford police in the chase. The lieutenant was traveling east on the Post Road at about 1:36 p.m. when police say Vega, traveling west, smashed the stolen yellow Nissan straight into Lt. Krois's fully marked Ford Expedition near Renshaw Road.

"Sometimes people will try and swerve to scare [the cops]. [Vega] obviously didn't have the best judgment, because he was under the influence," said Sgt. Jeremiah Marron of the Darien Police Department.

Post 53 transported Lt. Krois to Stamford Hospital with a badly swollen right ankle, and as for Vega, police say it took four officers to subdue him at the scene before he was placed under arrest and passed over to the Stamford Police Department, where he faced additional charges. Vega was held in lieu of $150,000.00 bond and went to court Wednesday morning.

Police say a partially smoked "blunt" cigar was found in Vega's car, which tested presumptively positive for marijuana. Sgt. Marron said he "would not be surprised" if Vega's blood work tests positive for other drugs.

The accident closed the Post Road for several hours while the Darien Police Accident Investigation Team processed the scene.

"An injury accident involving an officer becomes a little more exhaustive of an investigation," said Sgt. Marron.

Vega is due back in court late May.

The incident remains under investigation by the Darien Police Accident Investigation Team.