A Frightening Chase on New Britain Avenue

The Denny’s in Wethersfield is a popular place for a quick bite to eat. Diners drop in around the clock.

That would seem to make the Silas Deane eatery a dumb place to push around a pregnant ex-girlfriend, pull her hair, snatch her cellphone and wallet, and threaten customers before peeling out of the parking lot in a 2001 Acura CL in view of Wethersfield police.

David Ortiz, a 20-year-old Hartford man, wasn’t done though, police said.

arrested Ortiz as the sun was coming up last Saturday after he allegedly trailed his pregnant ex-girlfriend in Hartford, physically intimidated her then tried to run her and a female friend off the road during a swerving car chase on New Britain Avenue.

Ortiz was arrested at home at 92 Forster St. in the Southwest neighborhood of Hartford at 5:45 a.m., police said. Three West Hartford officers knocked on the door and asked his mother to get him out of bed.

Ortiz also crossed into the lane of an oncoming police cruiser on New Britain Avenue near Westfarms mall. Then he raced onto I-84 shortly before daybreak “at an extremely high rate of speed” and barreled into the Caya Avenue exit ramp and out of sight, police said.

In April, West Hartford police made at least 24 arrests in 22 reported incidents of domestic or family violence, according to arrest logs.

One man was accused of strangulation. Another tried to climb a downspout to get into his girlfriend’s apartment. There was one violation of a court order of protection. In several cases injuries were reported.

Seemingly beyond categorization in local, state and national statistics, April 7 at the . May began with a in the stomach and hitting her with an umbrella and a wooden window shutter. 

Ortiz was arraigned Tuesday in Hartford Superior Court on charges of reckless driving, driving with intent to intimidate, reckless endangerment and breach of peace. He was released after posting $50,000 bail, police said.

The victim, 24, told police at a that she was at Denny’s with a female friend and Ortiz around 2 a.m. when he suddenly became mad. He yanked her head by the hair and said “he would smack anyone in the restaurant,” police said. He grabbed several of her belongings and split.

Outside, police said Ortiz took a swing at the woman and sped away after she ran for help to a Wethersfield officer who was parked at the restaurant.

It was unclear why Wethersfield police did not pursue charges against Ortiz in connection with the alleged physical abuse and threat on their turf. A Wethersfield officer declined an offer to interview the victim in West Hartford, according to a police report.

Eleven law enforcement officers – eight from West Hartford – were involved at one point or another. Ortiz was apparently driving around, possibly after drinking and presumably fuming for 3½ hours. He has an order of protection over his head in an unrelated case and an assault case pending in court.

The victim plans to seek a restraining order, police said.

After Denny’s, police said Ortiz confronted the victim outside a friend’s house and pounded on the windows of her 2003 Honda Accord before she drove away. Later he was waiting near her home on Westbrook Street in Hartford, police said.

That sparked a chase that covered about 3½ miles, spilling into West Hartford and at times side-by-side on New Britain Avenue.

A passenger-side window in the Acura was smashed and there was a tire iron on the front seat when officers tracked Ortiz to his home, police said.

After Oritz was handcuffed, he reportedly told his mother, “Your car is straight, it wasn’t in an accident.”

Ortiz was scheduled for a plea hearing June 10.