Couple arrested on drug, gun charges after crashing into New Haven detective’s car

Victor Santiago Victor Santiago Photo: Journal Register Co. Photo: Journal Register Co. Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close Couple arrested on drug, gun charges after crashing into New Haven detective’s car 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

NEW HAVEN >> A car accident with a detective’s car Friday morning led to the arrest of a local couple, according to police spokesman Officer David Hartman.

At 11:43 a.m., Detectives Shayna Kendall and Lucile Roach were rear-ended on Chapel Street near High Street. Hartman the driver of the vehicle that struck the car, Victor Santiago, 58, of West Haven, had several empty 25 oz. cans of Natural Light in the Mazda, including one opened in the cup holder. Santiago failed a DUI field test and was also found to be in possession of a crack pipe and Oxycodone, Hartman said.

The passenger in the vehicle, Tina Deleeuw, 60, of New Haven, was about to be given a courtesy ride home by responding officers when a Davis Industries P380 handgun fell out of a cast she had on her arm. Deleeuw said she did not know how the gun ended up there and that it wasn’t hers, police said. Deleeuw does not have a pistol permit. The gun was untraceable.

Santiago was charged with traveling too fast for road conditions, operating an unregistered vehicle, operating an uninsured vehicle, operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs, possession of narcotics, possession of drug paraphernalia, failure to keep narcotics in a proper container, criminal possession of a pistol and illegal possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle.

Deleeuw was also arrested on weapon charges.