On Saturday, December 7, 2024, at approximately 11:44 AM, Troopers from Troop A in Southbury responded to a motor vehicle collision on southbound Route 7 near Exit 11 in Brookfield. It was reported that one driver exited their vehicle and assaulted another driver before re-entering their vehicle and fleeing the scene. The evading operator reportedly continued southbound on Route 7 and merged onto I-84 westbound.
Witnesses provided Troop A dispatch with the suspect vehicle's registration and detailed observations, noting the vehicle left I-84 via Exit 6 in Danbury. The vehicle was identified as a blue BMW 330x. Troop A dispatch issued a "BOLO" (Be On The Lookout) alert to surrounding towns to assist in locating the vehicle.
Upon arrival at the scene, Troopers spoke with an elderly male victim (age 78) who reported that while traveling in the right lane of southbound Route 7, he attempted to change to the left lane. At that moment, a blue BMW sedan suddenly accelerated, blocking his attempt to merge. The victim stated that after the BMW passed, he safely changed lanes to the left, only for the BMW's driver to abruptly slam on the brakes and come to a stop in the left lane. In response, the victim swerved into the right lane to avoid a collision and observed an adult male driving the BMW. The BMW then veered into the right lane and onto the shoulder, cutting in front of the victim and side-swiping the passenger side of his vehicle.
The victim explained that after being struck, he pulled over to the right shoulder, while the BMW spun across the left lane and into the grassy median. The victim explained that the BMW then re-entered the highway and rammed into the rear of the victim's vehicle in the right shoulder. The victim reported that the suspect then exited the BMW and walked towards his vehicle, opened his door and punched him in the face. The victim reported that after the assault, the suspect grabbed the cell phone from his hand, slammed it to the ground, re-entered his vehicle and fled the scene. The victim reported minor injuries but ultimately declined medical treatment.
Another witness reported that when the BMW spun into the grassy median and the driver regained control to re-enter the highway, large amounts of grass and dirt debris were kicked up, striking the front end of their vehicle.
New Milford Police Officers assisted in the investigation by responding to the New Milford address of the registered owner of the BMW. Officers located and stopped the vehicle in front of the residence. A Trooper arrived at the residence and positively identified the suspect as Jason Paul Maisonave (DOB: 06/25/1969). Maisonave was arrested and transported to Troop A for processing where he was subsequently charged with the following offenses:
C.G.S. 14-222 - Reckless Driving
C.G.S. 14-224(b)(2) - Evading Responsibility w/ Physical Injury
C.G.S.14-230(a) - Failure to Drive Upon the Right Side of the Roadway
C.G.S. 14-232(a)(2) - Improper Acceleration while Being Passed
C.G.S. 14-236 - Failure to Drive in Proper Lane
C.G.S. 53a-115 - Criminal Mischief 1st Degree
C.G.S. 53a-61a - Assault 3rd of a Elderly Victim
C.G.S. 53a-64 - Reckless Endangerment 2nd Degree
Following arrest processing, Maisonave was released on a $100,000 cash/surety bond and is scheduled for arraignment at Danbury Superior Court on 12/19/2024.
