Stamford Man on Stolen Scooter Caught Trying to Hide from Police

Police arrested a 29-year-old man following an incident in which the man attempted to elude police on a stolen scooter, authorities said Wednesday.

Police traveling on Woodland Avenue spotted a man traveling on a scooter in the opposite direction who was not wearing a face guard on his vehicle. According to police, the turned around and began following the scooter, described as traveling at a "high rate of speed."

According to police, the driver turned onto Atlantic Street and allegedly blew through a stop sign, then passed between a vehicle stopped at a red light and a parked vehicle to make a quick right turn. Police then said the man allegedly turned down Ludlow Street, traveling the wrong way down the one-way road.

Police turned onto Ludlow and discovered the scooter abandoned, lying on the ground in the middle of the street. Authorities said they spotted the driver, identified by police as Maurice T. Williams, of Garden Street, walking away and attempting to blend into a crowd at the corner.

According to authorities, the officers recognized the man and told him to stop, at which point the man began to run. Police eventually lost the man during a foot pursuit and returned to the scooter, which had been identified as a vehicle that was reported stolen out of Fairfield.

While waiting for a tow truck, a resident of the area approached the officers and informed them a man was hiding behind his garage on Woodland Place. Police visited the residence and found Williams there. He was allegedly found to be carrying five bags of marijuana at the time of his arrest.

Williams was charged with third-degree larceny, second-degree hindering prosecution, possession of a controlled substance, sale of a controlled substance, failure to obey a stop sign, failure to wear face protection while operating a motor vehicle, failure to comply with the rules for passing on the right, illegal operation of a motor vehicle while under suspension and driving the wrong way down a one-way street. His bond was set at $2,500.