Bank Robbery and Pursuit, Sheriff's Deputy Vehicle and Gun Stolen

4/4/02
HARTFORD, Conn. - A bank robbery suspect who overpowered
a sheriff's deputy at knifepoint in Vermont was captured
Wednesday after a bank robbery and a high-speed pursuit
 through several towns, authorities said.

Police said Ronald Nelson Foley, 55, was caught in West
Hartford after he crashed a stolen sheriff deputy vehicle 
into a tree.

Glastonbury police alerted Hartford authorities early Wednesday
that Foley was in the area. He had escaped from a jail in
Middlebury, Vt., after overpowering the sheriffs deputy
and stealing his gun, money, items of his uniform and his
car.

Authorities said Foley was driving the deputy's vehicle when he
wrecked it.

Craig Waples, an assistant U.S. attorney in Vermont, said 
Foley had been awaiting sentencing on federal bank robbery 
charges in Vermont, where he faced up to 20 years in prison.

Police said that on Wednesday, Foley walked into the First City Bank
branch on East Street at 11:30 a.m. and demanded money from a teller. 
He then fled with an undetermined amount of money and got on Route 72.

Off-duty state Trooper Marc Puzzo heard an alert for Foley as he fled. 
Minutes later the trooper spotted Foley driving by and gave chase. 
At one point in the pursuit, Foley stopped the stolen vehicle and 
backed into Puzzo's police cruiser. The trooper suffered minor injuries 
when he swerved to avoid another car and hit a tree.

Newington police soon joined in the chase, which wound into West Hartford
on South Main Street. Stop sticks were set up on the road and a tire on
the deputies stolen car was punctured, causing Foley to lose control and 
crash into a tree.

Foley fled on foot and was taken into custody by a West Hartford 
officer and a Newington detective a block from where he had crashed.

Authorities said Foley would be arraigned on federal escape charges 
and sent back to Vermont in about a week. He would also face a variety 
of charges in Connecticut, according to state police Sgt. Paul Vance.


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