Police: Fugitive Leads Middletown, Portland Officers on Cross-Arrigoni Chase

A 36-year-old New Haven man has been arrested on multiple criminal charges after leading Middletown and Portland police on a high-speed chase across the Arrigoni Bridge and repeatedly ramming cruisers Friday.

Ijeboi G. Holmes, who police say had an active warrant for escape from a halfway home, was driving erratically at 10 p.m. south on Route 17 on the Arrigoni Bridge in a red 2005 Pontiac Grand Am. A Portland Police officer tried to stop the Pontiac, but Holmes kept driving toward Main Street in Middletown, the report says.

At Grand Street, police say, Holmes made a U-turn on Main and struck a car and a police cruiser while heading back over the Arrigoni toward Portland. At Gildersleeve School, Holmes allegedly ran a Middletown Police officer's cruiser into a ditch and two Portland cruisers, and sped back over the bridge toward Middletown.

Police say Holmes sped around stop sticks on Main Street, intentionally rammed a Portland Police cruiser, and hit another Middletown Police car before being boxed in by officers.

Holmes refused to exit the car, the report says, and struggled with officers. At headquarters, he allegedly threatened police and their families.

Middltown officers received minor injuries in the sturggle and the occupants of the struck civilian vehicles sustained minor injuries from the crashes.

He faces seven counts of assault of peace officers, interfering with an officer, third-degree assault, reckless driving, evading responsibility and second-degree threatening and has a May 6 court date.