1/18/25 Windsor, CT – Man Broke Into Volunteer Fire Station – Lights Fire In Fire Station – Steals Fire Pick Up Truck – Entered Into Massachusetts – Was Pulling Over Civilian Vehicles With Emergency Lights – Massachusetts State Police Got 911 Calls – Find Him – Chase Him – Arrest Him

January 18, 2025

www.ctinsider.com

Massachusetts State Police arrested a Windsor man who used a stolen fire station pickup truck to stop other vehicles on the highway in that state before trying to flee state troopers, according to Massachusetts police.

Kristian Avery, 46, is charged in Massachusetts with receiving stolen property, impersonating a police officer, failure to stop for police, negligent operation and improper use of emergency lights, according to an email from Massachusetts State Police. Avery also is accused of breaking a TV, stealing tools from a firetruck and starting a small fire in the garage at the Windsor Volunteer Fire Department’s Hayden Station Firehouse on Basswood Road before fleeing in the stolen vehicle.

Windsor police said they responded to a burglary complaint at the firehouse at about 3:39 a.m. Saturday, and a shortly after, Massachusetts State Police received several 911 calls about a fire vehicle trying to stop other motor vehicles on Interstate 91 north in Northampton and Whatley, Mass. State police said the reported stops were “suspicious” — Avery allegedly activated his emergency lights and failed to properly identify himself while interacting with other vehicles during the stops.

State police said they notified nearby law enforcement to look out for the pickup truck, and a trooper spotted it on I-91 in Deerfield. The trooper initiated a stop, and the driver pulled over briefly before trying to escape. A chase ensued, and state troopers and Deerfield police deployed stop sticks before the vehicle came to rest around a weigh station in Deerfield, according to the email from state police.

State police arrested Avery shortly before 5 a.m., the email states.

Massachusetts State Police and Windsor Police Department detectives were continuing to investigate the incident, according to the email. Windsor police said anyone with information should call the Police Department at 860-688-5273. 

Windsor police said detectives were interviewing the suspect, and the suspect could face charges tied to the incident in town. They said the Fire Department’s facilities were operational and its emergency response had not been compromised.