State police released cruiser video Wednesday showing a December incident in which a Naugatuck man fleeing authorities collided with a fuel tanker truck, causing a large fire and power outages in the area.
The video, obtained through a Record-Journal Freedom of Information request, shows a state police cruiser chasing the fleeing SUV down Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike, beginning near Hemlock Hills RV. The pursuit lasts less than two minutes before the SUV crashes into a tanker truck filled with 8,600 gallons of fuel at the intersection of Old Turnpike Road.
Police had been looking for suspect Brian Miele, 43, of Naugatuck on suspicion that he had stolen an SUV in earlier in the day on Dec. 27, 2011. Miele was arrested following the crash and faces several charges stemming from the incident including first-degree larceny, interfering with an officer, driving under the influence, reckless driving and disobeying an officer's signal.