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MANCHESTER, CT - A tow truck driver is in custody this morning after he refused a police
sergeant's orders to unhook a car, rolled up his window with the sergeant's arm in it and drove off with him clinging to the truck, police said.
David Buckley, 25, of Ashford was charged with two counts each of first-degree reckless endangerment and criminal attempt to commit assault on a police
officer, Sgt. Barry Caldwell said. He also was charged with interfering with police and breach of peace. He is scheduled to appear in Superior Court in
Manchester today.
The sergeant, Sandy Ficara, was not injured, Caldwell said.
Caldwell said the confrontation started in a parking lot of Fountain Village apartments on Downey Drive in Manchester shortly after 8 p.m. Sunday, when the
tow truck company is authorized to tow vehicles that lack parking passes. The truck driver hooked up a car and prepared to tow it away over the objections of
the owner, who offered to move it and even to pay the driver, Caldwell said. At one point, the car's frustrated female owner sat on the hood so he
wouldn't tow her car, he said.
Ficara arrived and told the Buckley to drop the car, but he wouldn't. He started rolling up his window
with Ficara's arm in it, prompting Ficara to blast him with a pepper-based spray, which had no effect, Caldwell said. Buckley then started driving away
with Ficara on the running board, he said.
Ficara jumped off, got into his patrol car and chased him briefly into East Hartford before stopping the pursuit, Caldwell said. Police found Buckley a
little more than a mile down the street, outside a Burnside Avenue liquor store.
More bad publicity from the ppi dept.
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