
CT Traffic Stop Results in Two Arrests and Thirteen Charges
According to a press release from the Connecticut State Police, on Saturday night, October 12, 2024, things took a wild turn on I-84 in West Hartford when a routine traffic stop uncovered some serious trouble. A Trooper from Troop H in Hartford was cruising along Route 9 when he spotted a black Dodge Ram pickup that just couldn’t stay in its lane. After following the truck onto I-84, the Trooper noticed it was swerving again and found that the vehicle’s insurance status was unconfirmed.

Once another unit arrived, the Trooper turned on the lights and sirens, pulling the vehicle over near exit 41. The driver, later identified as 25-year-old Steven Yariel Igartua-Algarin from Bristol, complied and parked on the shoulder. The passenger, 29-year-old Jose Orlando Felix from New Britain, was also in the truck.
Upon making contact with the passengers, the Trooper noticed some red flags. Igartua-Algarin’s hands were reportedly trembling, and Felix seemed unusually evasive according to the report. When asked about weapons, police say Igartua-Algarin admitted to having a 9mm handgun tucked into his shorts, leading to his quick detention. A search revealed the firearm on him, and Felix was also cuffed after being asked to step out of the vehicle.
Authorities say the situation escalated when Igartua-Algarin mentioned there was a knife in the vehicle. The Trooper then called for a narcotics detection K9. When the K9 arrived, it alerted to both the vehicle and Igartua-Algarin himself. A subsequent search uncovered a loaded high-capacity magazine, digital scales, and suspected crack cocaine and fentanyl according to Connecticut State Police.
Felix didn’t escape unscathed either; cops say a search of his person revealed a firearm hidden in his sock, and it turned out he didn’t have a pistol permit. All items found were seized as evidence, and both men were taken to Troop H for processing.
Here are the charges both suspects face:
Steven Yariel Igartua-Algarin
CGS 14-236: Failure to maintain lane
CGS 14-213b: Operation of a motor vehicle without insurance
CGS 21a-277(a)(1)(A): Possession with intent to sell narcotics
CGS 21a-279(a)(1): Possession of a controlled substance
CGS 21a-267(a) (x4): Use of drug paraphernalia
CGS 53-202w(b1): Possession of a large capacity magazine
Jose Orlando Felix
CGS 21a-277(a)(1)(A): Possession with intent to sell narcotics
CGS 21a-279(a)(1): Possession of a controlled substance
CGS 21a-267(a) (x4): Use of drug paraphernalia
CGS 29-35(a)(1): Carrying a pistol without a permit
CGS 29-38: Illegal possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle
CGS 29-33*: Illegal transfer of a firearm
CGS 53-202w(b1): Possession of a large capacity magazine
That is a lot of charges for a cruise around the block. I wonder if the neck tattoo still seems like a solid idea? I actually like the idea of a neck tattoo but once you go full heel, I feel like it's hard to comeback or at least to convince people you don't have a metric f-- ton of drugs in your car at all times.
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Igartua-Algarin has since been released on a $75,000 bond, while Felix was released on a $50,000 bond. Both are set to appear in Hartford Superior Court on November 12, 2024.
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