Names Released Of Those Involved In Fiery West Hartford Crash

WEST HARTFORD, CT — Police in West Hartford have identified those involved in a fiery, two-car crash during a police pursuit on July 27.

The names, released Monday, are:

• Francisco Alberto Veras, 23, of Hartford
• Javier Ortiz, 19, of Hartford,
• Tajay Hunter, 21, of Hartford

The crash is still under investigation by the West Hartford Police Department. It left one vehicle against a home and the other in some bushes and a section of New Park Avenue closed in West Hartford for hours.

Police said one of the vehicles was involved in several incidents in the area over the course of three days prior to the incident.

The Sunday before, Hartford Police Department first received a report of shots being fired during an incident involving a dark-colored Infiniti with Massachusetts plates, police said.

The next day, a vehicle with the same description was involved in the attempted theft of a catalytic converter from a car parked on Farmington Avenue in West Hartford., police said. An officer on patrol interrupted the theft and the vehicle fled, police said.

Then, at about 6 a.m. on July 27, Hartford police told West Hartford police that the same Infiniti with Massachusetts plates was being pursued by Hartford Police Officers into West Hartford on New Britain Avenue. West Hartford Police set up tire deflation devices and assisted Hartford cops with the pursuit as it continued north on New Park Avenue.

The vehicle was traveling at high speed when it lost control in the area of Jefferson Avenue, police said. The vehicle
left the roadway, struck some large rocks in a parking lot and went airborne. The vehicle then took
down telephone wires and a utility pole before crashing into a parked vehicle and a house before
catching fire at New Park Avenue and Darcy Street.

The fire scorched part of the home's roof and a plume of flames and smoke could be seen from about a quarter-mile away.

West Hartford police released dash camera footage of the incident:

Authorities said the three involved were taken to an area hospital with undetermined injuries. The crash caused a fire that led to the evacuation of the home, authorities said.