Man involved in April police involved-shooting charged in hit-and-run

Paul Witherspoon, 21, of Hamden, was arrested after his vehicle struck a bicyclist at the intersection of Whalley and Sherman avenues in New Haven on Friday, Aug. 2, 2019. Paul Witherspoon, 21, of Hamden, was arrested after his vehicle struck a bicyclist at the intersection of Whalley and Sherman avenues in New Haven on Friday, Aug. 2, 2019. Photo: New Have Police Department Photo: New Have Police Department Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Man involved in April police involved-shooting charged in hit-and-run 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

NEW HAVEN — The man who was driving a car that Hamden and Yale police officers fired upon in April now been charged with DUI after he allegedly hit a bicyclist in New Haven early Friday .

Paul Witherspoon III, 21, of Hamden, was arrested after a police pursuit Friday on charges of carrying a weapon in a motor vehicle, carrying a dangerous weapon, interfering with a police officer, operating under the influence, evading responsibility, engaging police in pursuit and reckless driving.

Capt. Anthony Duff said the crash happened at 12:19 a.m. at the intersection of Whalley and Sherman avenues.

According to a police report filed in court Friday, an officer was parked at the Mobil gas station at Sherman and Whalley when he heard “a loud bang,” saw debris flying from a crash between a bicycle and SUV, then heard screaming.

The SUV left the scene; the officer observed a damaged red bicycle and “what appeared to be a body on the ground” as he followed the vehicle.

The pursuit went from Whalley Avenue, to Winthrop Avenue to Crescent Street, to Osborn Avenue and then ended near Whalley Avenue, Duff and the police report said.

The driver, later determined to be Witherspoon, stopped the vehicle at that time and stuck his hands out the window. The officer approached and ordered him to exit the vehicle at gunpoint, according to the report.

Witherspoon stepped out of the car, lay down and was arrested, acccording to the report. A stun gun allegedly was found in his pants pocket.

Witherspoon told police “that he hit a person on a bike but that his light was green,” according to the report.

“Witherspoon explained that upon striking the person on Whalley Avenue he observed police lights and got scared. Witherspooon explained that cops had shot at him before and he did not want to get shot again,” the officer said in the report. “Witherspoon acknowledged that he should (have) stopped the vehicle instead of running from police.”

Witnesses also described the collision and noted that Witherspoon had the green light.

Witherspoon was arraigned Friday in the Elm Street courthouse, according to judicial records. A public defender was appointed on his behalf, bail was set at $50,000 and the case was continued to Aug. 9.

Duff said the bicyclist had left the scene after the accident, and urged him to come forward and seek medical care.

Stephanie Washington, 22, of West Haven and Darmichael Mims of New Haven were in the vehicle Witherspoon was driving, Duff said. Neither was hurt.

On April 16, Witherspoon and Washington, his girlfriend, were inside a vehicle that was fired on by Hamden police Officer Devin Eaton and Yale University Officer Terrance Pollack.

Washington was wounded by the gunfire.

A clerk at the Gas On Go gas station on Arch Street in Hamden initially reported that Witherspoon had shown a gun during an interaction with a newspaper delivery driver at approximately 4:20 a.m. that day.

The clerk at the gas station called 911 afterward, telling dispatchers that Witherspoon had “pulled a gun” on the driver.

This set into motion an investigation into a reported armed robbery, which ended with Eaton and Pollock firing at Witherspoon as he stepped out of a Honda Civic on Argyle Street. The clerk later told police he had not seen a weapon. No charges have been filed in the shooting case.

In days and weeks that followed the shooting, organizers gathered in Hamden and New Haven, demanding justice for what happened and for an agency independent of the police to investigate.

State police have turned over their investigation results to State’s Attorney Patrick Griffin, who will review the report and determine whether the involved police officers were justified or should be criminally prosecuted.

“State’s Attorney Patrick Griffin and his staff will carefully review the provided materials and determine if further investigation is necessary before a determination is made regarding the lawfulness of the police use of force,” according to a release. “The State’s Attorney would like to thank the CDMCS for their diligence and professionalism displayed during this complex investigation.”

Witnesses who have not spoken to police are urged to call the New Haven Police Department at 203-946-6316.