Man arrested for injuring state troopers in I-91 collision in Enfield

ENFIELD, Conn. (WWLP) – A man was arrested and faces multiple charges after allegedly striking two Connecticut State Troopers on I-91 north in Enfield.

Connecticut State Police said that at approximately 7:00 a.m. last Thursday, troopers received reports of a multi-vehicle crash in the area of Exit 48. When arriving at the location, the troopers were struck by a vehicle near Exit 47W.

One of the troopers was outside of the vehicle when he was struck, and the other was struck by the car while inside the police cruiser. One trooper sustained a broken leg as a result of the collision, while the other possibly received a concussion. They were both brought to the hospital to be treated.

The Connecticut State Troopers have been identified as Matthew Cerri and Christopher Genovese and are currently recovering.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the driver lost control while traveling on I-91 northbound, crashing into multiple vehicles. At least six vehicles were involved in the incident, with multiple individuals brought to the hospital to be evaluated for injuries.

State Police said that on Friday at approximately 11:00 a.m., detectives from the Central District Major Crimes Squad arrested 18-year-old Joel Caiza of Waterbury in connection with the collision.

Caiza is charged with:

• Reckless Driving
• Traveling Too Fast for Conditions of the Roadway
• Failure to Maintain Lane
• Operating a Motor Vehicle Without a License

Caiza was issued a $100,000 bond, which he was unable to post. He is being held in Connecticut State Police custody awaiting arraignment at Hartford Superior Court.