Driver Chased Down After Hitting Construction Flagger in Tolland: Police

TOLLAND, CT — A Mansfield man is accused of hitting a construction flagger on Route 195 early Wednesday morning and then fleeing the scene, state police said.

According to Tolland Alert, the construction worker was thrown about 27 feet from road over a guard rail. He escaped the incident with minor injuries after being taken to St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford, according to state police and Tolland Alert.

The crash took place at 1:42 a.m., state police said. At that time, Christopher Hand, 40, of 73 Willington Hill Road, Mansfield, was driving a 2002 Honda Civic northbound on Route 195, just short of the Exit 68/Interstate-84 interchange when he came to a construction site, state police said.

He hit a guardrail, a barrel and then the flagger, state police said.

Hand then left the scene but was chased down by the trooper on construction duty and arrested, state police said.

Hand was charged with evading, engaging police in a pursuit and disobeying the signal of an officer, state police said.

He is due in court on Feb. 27, according to a crash report.

Photo Credit: CSP, Tolland Alert