The investigation began when state troopers responded to I-84 West in Waterbury around 8:45 a.m. Tuesday to investigate a road rage incident with a gun.
State police blocked off the I-84 East rest area in Southington amid the investigation.
Alison McIntire
Three Southington schools were placed in secure mode as a precaution, according to school officials, and later returned to normal operation.
Authorities found Robert Misericordia, 27, on a dead-end cul-de-sac in Prospect on Tuesday. He struck a state police cruiser while trying to flee.
State police said they later found the vehicle abandoned. Misericordia, of Hartford, turned himself into police Wednesday afternoon.
An arrest warrant states that Misericordia was driving about 100 miles per hour on the highway. Drivers told authorities that he also appeared to be in possession of a machete.
The license plate of the vehicle Misericordia drove was stolen, the warrant states.
A woman spoke with NBC Connecticut about her encounter with Misericordia. A second woman also spoke out about her run-in with the suspect.
He faces a slew of charges including reckless driving, criminal mischief, interfering with an officer, breach of peace, threatening, driving the wrong way and more.
Misericordia was held on a $150,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday.
CREDIT: NBC CT Angela Fortuna
