CT man charged in shoplifting also arrested on warrant for allegedly fleeing state trooper

A Putnam man was arrested over the weekend during a shoplifting in Killingly when authorities learned he had a warrant out for his arrest for allegedly fleeing from a state police trooper.

Members of the Killingly Police Department and state troopers with Troop D were dispatched to a Target store on Saturday just before 4:40 p.m. on a report of a larceny in progress after a loss prevention employee reported seeing a man in a blue hat and green T-shirt with long sleeves removing tags from items, according to Connecticut State Police .

Killingly officers approached the male in the store before he took off and pushed his way through an emergency exit door, state police said. A K-9 Unit was deployed and apprehended the suspect.

The man was identified as 33-year-old Andrew Lowell, according to state police. Authorities found that he had been trespassed from the store in connection with previous incidents. He was charged with conspiracy to commit third-degree larceny, first-degree criminal trespassing, interfering with an officer and breach of peace.

State police said they also learned that troopers had a warrant for Lowell’s arrest for an incident on Sept. 13. In that incident, a trooper stopped on Interstate 395 in Thompson for a disabled vehicle and was told that it had run out of gas, according to state police. Help arrived shortly thereafter with fuel.

Before the driver had left, a trooper discovered that the vehicle was not registered or insured and had a license plate belonging to another car, state police said. The trooper called for a tow truck to take the vehicle away.

According to state police, Lowell allegedly interfered with the tow truck driver. As the tow truck driver was asking the trooper for help, state police said Lowell got into the vehicle and took off from the area. He could not immediately be located, so a trooper obtained a warrant for his arrest.

Lowell faces charges of interfering with an officer, operating an unregistered motor vehicle and operating without the minimum insurance. He was held over the weekend on $15,000 bond and was expected to be arraigned Monday in Danielson Superior Court.