Juvenile ID'd in violent Tolland incidents

Mar. 2—Authorities have identified one of three juvenile suspects in attempted vehicle thefts that led to a series of violent crimes Feb. 20 in Tolland, including an adult suspect's threat to shoot a homeowner who interrupted one theft attempt and that same suspect's ramming a stolen vehicle into a trooper's cruiser.

The newly identified suspect is Omar Cancel, 17, of Hartford. He is facing numerous criminal charges in the series of mid-afternoon incidents. The most serious is home invasion, which carries a mandatory minimum 10-year prison sentence and a maximum of 25 years.

Cancel is free on $50,000 bond, online court records show.

JUVENILE IDENTIFIED

DEFENDANT: Omar Cancel, 17, of Hartford

INCIDENT: Attempted vehicle thefts that led to a gun threat and what authorities allege was the intentional ramming of a state police cruiser by a stolen sport-utility vehicle in Tolland on the afternoon of Feb. 20.

CHARGES: Numerous, including home invasion, third-degree burglary, attempt and conspiracy to commit first-degree larceny

STATUS: Free on $50,000 bond

The home invasion charge is based on the accusation that Cancel and Jashawn Atkinson, 18, of Hartford entered an open garage on Williams Way in Tolland and tried to steal two motorcycles.

The homeowner scared them away and tackled Atkinson to the ground, according to a state trooper's report on the incidents. At that point, authorities allege, Malik Price, now 19, of Hartford, pointed a gun at the homeowner's head and threatened to shoot him, enabling Atkinson and Cancel to get back into the stolen luxury sport-utility vehicle in which Price was driving the other four suspects.

As Price fled the area, authorities allege, he intentionally collided with a state police cruiser that was driving in the opposite direction on Tolland Green, with its emergency lights operating, sending it into the air and onto the shoulder of the road. The trooper was injured but was treated and released at a hospital, according to reports.

All five suspects fled on foot after the crash, police say. Price was the first to be apprehended.

A state police dog handler had been chasing the stolen vehicle in his cruiser and saw the crash take place. His dog chased and bit Price on the upper arm, taking him to the ground, the handler reported.

As troopers combed the area for other suspects, one was seen running through the woods. The dog handler reported that he and his dog found that suspect, later identified as Cancel, trying to hide by a stone wall, and another trooper took him into custody.

Residents of a Tolland Green home told police that Cancel had forced entry into their basement, in an attempt to hide from troopers, then fled out the back door and through the woods, police say.

Three other suspects, Atkinson and two juveniles who haven't been publicly identified, were found hiding in a shed outside a Torry Road home, police say.

In addition to home invasion, Cancel is charged with conspiracy to commit that crime, attempting and conspiring to commit first-degree larceny, two counts of conspiracy to commit third-degree burglary, and single counts of third-degree burglary and interfering with police. All the charges except interfering are felonies.

Police first learned of the criminal activity that Saturday afternoon when they received a report that people were trying to steal vehicles on Kozley Road, which intersects with Williams Way, where the subsequent attempted motorcycle thefts were reported.

A Kozley Road homeowner told police that she was sitting in a vehicle in her driveway when two males tried to open the door of that vehicle and another. Surveillance video corroborated her account, showing the two fleeing when they found her in the vehicle, according to a police report. These two suspects were identified from their clothing as the two juveniles who haven't been publicly identified.

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