If you were driving south on Interstate 95 at about 1:13 p.m. last Sunday, according to police, you might’ve seen a Toyota SUV traveling at about 25 mph in the far right lane just after the entrance at Exit 10.
With a Darien police patrol car, lights flashing, right behind it.
Darien police gave this account (with accusations not proven in court) of the slow-chase case:
The officer on patrol saw the SUV turn onto the I-95 South on-ramp from Noroton Avenue without using the proper turn signal. The vehicle was traveling at only 25 mph on the ramp, but never sped up as it entered the highway.
The vehicle pulled into the Darien South rest stop not far from the entrance, and the officer went to talk with the driver, an 18-year-old Darien man, a resident of Point O’ Woods Road. As the driver’s side window opened, the officer smelled the strong odor of marijuana smoke.
The driver was asked to hand over any marijuana in his possession. He did — a clear glass jar with 3.7 grams of pot in it. The vehicle was searched, but no other contraband of any type was found in it.
The driver was issued an infraction ticket for possession of less than half an ounce of marijuana and a verbal warning for not using his turn signal. The police report makes no mention of any charges related to driving too slowly on the highway.
The vehicle was driven from the scene by the teenager’s girlfriend.