Police seize more quads, one jumps in pool knowing he’s going to jail

(Bridgeport, CT – July 19, 2013) – Officers Paul Scillia and Christopher Martin Thursday seized another quad operating illegally in the city.

The officers encountered the four-wheeler traveling recklessly on Wood Avenue. The driver, identified later as Joel Huertas, 22, was doing a “wheelie” and crossed over the center yellow line. He nearly lost control and almost hit a telephone pole.

Scillia and Martin ordered him off of the quad and arrested him for reckless driving, operating without a license, operating without insurance and operating an unregistered vehicle. The quad was towed.

The two officers seized two other quads last week and charged two people with felony counts.

In that case, Scillia and Martin, who work for the department’s Violent Crimes Initiative unit, observed two quads leave the driveway of 288 Benham Ave. The officers put out a radio broadcast alerting other officers that two quads were driving recklessly. A short time later, other officers reported over the radio that they encountered the same quads on Washington Avenue.

On a hunch, Scillia and Martin went to Benham Avenue on the chance the drivers would attempt to return home.

The quad operators did and pulled into the driveway at a high rate of speed and almost crashed into a pool in which two children were swimming.

Both suspects attempted to run. Jason Rivera, 32, of 288 Benham Ave., was arrested and charged with motor vehicle offenses and counts of risk of injury to a minor and interfering with police.

The second suspect, Juan Rivera, 26, of the same address,  jumped into the pool and began pulling out from his pockets and discarding small glass jars containing marijuana. He faces the same charges as the other operator and also marijuana counts.

When asked why he jumped into the pool, Juan Rivera stated that he knew he was going to jail and wanted to take a swim first.

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