Fairfield, CT — On Friday, May 2, 2025, at approximately 10:55 p.m., Fairfield Police
responded to a large group of vehicles operating recklessly in the parking lot of Stop & Shop at
760 Villa Avenue. The scene resembled a street takeover, with drivers performing dangerous
stunts such as donuts, burnouts, and fishtails, effectively taking over the private lot and creating a
hazardous environment. There were also moments prior to police arrival where the parking lot
asphalt was set on fire. This behavior endangered not only the vehicle operators but also the
numerous participants who were in the parking lot, mere feet away from the vehicles, taking
videos.
Upon police entry into the parking lot, the crowd and vehicles began to disperse rapidly in all
directions. It is important to note that this phase of interrupting a large vehicle gathering often
presents heightened risk, as fleeing drivers may accelerate dangerously, endangering both the
public and law enforcement officers. Recognizing these dangers, officers prioritized public
safety and the strategic collection of evidence. This calculated approach allowed for a safer
response and laid the groundwork for successful follow-up investigations.
Following this event, the Fairfield Police Department established a task force including some
officers who responded to the initial incident. Working with our states attorney’s office, this
group utilized the strategically collected evidence from the night of the incident to identify and
track down the primary offenders involved.
The Department emphasizes that progressive police tactics were employed throughout this
investigation by means dash camera footage, social media monitoring, and collaboration with
other law enforcement agencies to gather and corroborate evidence. Thanks to the disciplined
and professional conduct of officers during the initial response, sufficient evidence was obtained
that directly led to the arrests of David Romero, Wanda Romero, Dilmar Ruano-Barrera, and
Christopher McGirl.
The vehicles in the videos circulating on social media were identified, which assisted the
Fairfield Police Department in obtaining search and seizure warrants for each of them. This
investigation took the Fairfield Police Department to jurisdictions outside of Fairfield, where
officers executed search warrants on the drivers’ vehicles. While effecting one such search warrant in East Windsor Connecticut, the mother of one offender interfered with Fairfield
officers, resulting in Wanda Romero being charged with tampering with physical evidence and
interfering with a police investigation. The seized vehicles include a blue Dodge Charger
Daytona registered to David Romero (of East Windsor), a GMC Sierra pickup truck belonging to
Christopher McGirl (of Wallingford), and a white Ford Mustang GT owned by Dilmar Ruano-
Barrera (of Stamford) are all still in police custody as evidence in the upcoming court
proceedings.
The Fairfield Police Department extends its sincere appreciation our State’s Attorney’s Office,
The Connecticut State Police, the National Insurance Crime Bureau, as well as the police
departments of Stamford, Stratford, Wallingford, and East Windsor, and all officers who
contributed their time and effort to ensure a comprehensive and successful investigation. We
would also like to extend a special thanks to our community far and wide who assisted in this
investigation by sending videos which directly helped aid in our investigation. This case
illustrates the importance of coordinated law enforcement efforts, and working closely with our
community and law enforcement partners to hold offenders accountable.
Incidents like this have been affecting communities across the State of Connecticut. We want to
thank our legislative partners for listening to our concerns and working to increase the
repercussions to this type of behavior throughout our state.
The following individuals were arrested:
The following individuals were arrested in connection with the incident and are scheduled to appear at Bridgeport Superior Court on June 13, 2025:
David Romero, 20, of East Windsor, was charged with Illegal Racing on Highway, Conspiracy to Commit Illegal Racing on a Highway, Reckless Endangerment 1st Degree, Breach of Peace, Riot 2nd Degree, Unlawful Assembly, Reckless Driving, Failure to Display Plates, and Operation Causing Unnecessary Noise. His bond was set at $75,000.
Dilmar Ruano-Barrera, 26, of Stamford, was charged with Illegal Racing on Highway, Conspiracy to Commit Illegal Racing on a Highway, Reckless Endangerment 1st Degree, Breach of Peace, Riot 2nd Degree, Unlawful Assembly, Reckless Driving, Operating a Motor Vehicle Creating Unnecessary Noise, and Unsafe Movement from a Stopped Position. His bond was set at $50,000.
Christopher McGirl, 20, of Wallingford, was charged with Illegal Racing on Highway and Unsafe Movement of a Stopped Vehicle, with bond set at $10,000.
Wanda Romero, 49, of East Windsor, was charged with Tampering with Physical Evidence and Interfering with Police. Her bond was set at $25,000.
