On Monday April 29, at approximately 2:19 pm, Troop G in Bridgeport received a 911 call reporting a road rage type incident on I-95 southbound near Exit 13 in Darien.
The caller explained that the operator of a black sedan with a Rhode Island registration and front-end damage had displayed a firearm.
Dae Jesus Acosta. Photo courtesy CT State Police April 30, 2024
A responding Trooper located a black sedan matching the description provided, initiated a motor vehicle stop at the Exit 10 entrance ramp and directed the operator, later identified as Dae Jesus Acosta, DOB, 04/21/2000, of Central Falls, Rhode Island, to exit the vehicle. A second Trooper arrived to assist with the investigation and it was determined that based upon the nature of the 911 call, a safety pat down of Acosta would be conducted.
Before Troopers could initiate the pat down, Acosta became uncooperative and combative. In the interest of safety, Troopers secured Acosta in handcuffs. Once secured, Acosta remained combative and resisted Troopers’ efforts to place him inside of a cruiser.
Upon being secured in a cruiser, Acosta was advised that Troop G had received 911 calls alleging that he had brandished a firearm. When asked if there was a firearm within his vehicle, Acosta responded that there was not. Upon conducting a search of the interior of Acosta’s vehicle, Troopers located a black facsimile firearm, which was determined to be a BB gun and processed as evidence in this investigation.
Troopers then met with the complainant, who explained that he was operating a tow truck in the right lane of I-95 southbound in the area of Exit 15 when a black 4-door sedan consistent in appearance with the vehicle operated by Acosta attempted to enter the highway at the Exit 15 entrance ramp. According to the complainant, the sedan was unable to immediately merge into the right travel lane due to the tow truck already occupying the lane.
The complainant further explained that the sedan eventually maneuvered in front of his tow truck and reduced its speed to approximately 5 MPH in an apparent effort to get the complainant to come to a stop.
The complainant also observed that the sedan’s male operator was wearing a mask which covered his face.
In response, the complainant maneuvered his tow truck into the center lane. The sedan operator then moved into the left lane, pulled up beside the tow truck, and allegedly pointed a black handgun at the complainant while shouting and demanding that the complainant pull over.
The complainant explained to Troopers that he lost sight of the black sedan while on a 911 call.
While on scene, the tow truck operator identified the black sedan operated by Acosta as the same black sedan involved in the incident.
Acosta was subsequently transported to Troop G, where he was processed and charged with the following violations:
C.G.S. 29-38, Illegal Possession of a Weapon in Motor Vehicle
C.G.S. 53a-167a, Interfering with Officer/ Resisting
C.G.S. 53a-181, Breach of Peace in the Second Degree
C.G.S. 53a-61aa(a)(3), Threatening in the First Degree/ Displaying a Firearm.
Acosta was held on a $30,000 cash bond and transferred to the custody of the CT Department of Correction pending his scheduled arraignment on April 30, 2024 in Stamford Superior Court.