John McKenna
Dec 10, 2023
TORRINGTON — Two suspects in a vehicle theft in Litchfield on Friday night and later an attempted home invasion in Torrington each are being held on $1 million bond and are scheduled to appear in Torrington Superior Court on Monday.
Frantz Menard, 39, of Bridgeport, and Elijah Volpe, 27, of Derby, were arrested by Torrington police following a confrontation at Notting Hill Gate, a residential street where the suspects had been observed walking into the garage of a home around 7:13 p.m.
Police were dispatched to the location after a caller reported seeing the suspects, who had arrived in a gray Chevrolet Suburban matching the description of a vehicle that had been stolen in the center of Litchfield a few minutes earlier.
State police were investigating that theft, which occurred as the Suburban was left running while its occupant went into DiFranco’s Restaurant to pick up an order to go.
Upon arrival at Notting Hill Gate, Torrington police found one of the suspects walking in the roadway. The suspect refused to listen to commands from an officer and continued walking up the roadway, according to police.
While attempting to stop the suspect from walking away, a vehicle was observed heading towards the officer at a high rate of speed, according to police. As the officer was moving out of the way, the vehicle struck his right side before swerving off the road into a tree.
The suspect behind the wheel of the vehicle got out and began walking away, ignoring commands to stop, according to police. Both suspects then approached the officer’s cruiser and attempted to get inside it. A fight between the officer and suspects ensued before one of the suspects took off on foot.
The suspect struggling with the officer was subdued with help from other officers and was taken into custody, according to police. The suspect who fled into a nearby marsh was apprehended by Torrington police and state police. No officers were injured during the entirety of the incident, according to police.
Volpe was charged with conspiracy to commit a home invasion; second-degree threatening; risk of injury; interfering with and resisting a police officer; two counts of sixth-degree larceny; first-degree larceny; theft of a firearm; and breach of peace.
Menard was charged with conspiracy to commit a home invasion; second-degree threatening; risk of injury; interfering with and resisting a police officer; two counts of sixth-degree larceny; second-degree criminal mischief; assault on a police officer; first-degree larceny; theft of a firearm; breach of peace; operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license; making an improper turn; reckless driving; and evading responsibility.
Neither has any convictions but Menard has three open cases Hartford, New Haven and Milford courts. He faces a charge out of New Haven for larceny of a motor vehicle and was released on a promise to appear.