Shelton To Bridgeport Police Chase Ends with Foot Pursuit and Arrests

According to Connecticut State Police, what started as a pursuit involving Shelton Police quickly turned into a wild chase across multiple Connecticut cities, complete with crashes, a school playground and an attempted getaway on foot.

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Police say the whole thing began around 12:13 p.m. on May 26 when dispatchers received reports that Shelton officers were chasing a white Nissan Altima with misuse plates connected to an earlier incident involving multiple Milford police cruisers getting struck.

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The vehicle was first spotted near Huntington Turnpike and Trap Falls Road in Shelton. During the pursuit, officers said the driver was involved in another crash and kept going. State Police Troop G then joined the chase as the car moved through Shelton and into Stratford.

According to the report, the driver allegedly blew through multiple red lights, made dangerous passes and at one point drove directly onto the soccer field and playground area at Second Hill Lane Elementary School. That alone sounds like something out of a movie.

Police say the chase continued through Stratford, into Bridgeport and eventually onto Route 8 south toward I-95. The Nissan finally became disabled near the I-95 south Exit 19 ramp after multiple collisions.

That’s when the driver allegedly tried to run away on foot, but troopers caught him shortly after.

Police identified the driver as 32-year-old George Jakubowski. State Police say he was charged with reckless endangerment, risk of injury to a minor, reckless driving, interfering with an officer, misuse of plates, possession of drug paraphernalia, disobeying an officer and failure to maintain a proper lane.

George Jakubowski was unable to post his $10,000 bond and was transported to the Bridgeport Correctional Center.

But somehow the story gets even stranger from there.

State Police say the front seat passenger, identified as 32-year-old Louann Bodnar, refused to get out of the vehicle and locked the doors while troopers were attempting to gain entry. According to police, Bodnar then climbed into the back seat, grabbed a foil wrapper with burnt residue on it, lit it with a lighter and allegedly began inhaling smoke through a straw while officers were standing outside the car.

Police say she was eventually taken into custody and charged with possession of a controlled substance. She was unable to post her $5,000 bond and was transferred to York Correctional Institution.