New Haven Hit-and-Run Driver Caught in Louisiana; 37 Calls Placed Him at Scene

New Haven Police Arrest Hit-and-Run Suspect Five Months After Crash Injured Two Children

New Haven police arrested a 29-year-old man in connection with a hit-and-run crash that seriously injured a 7-year-old boy and ejected a toddler from a stroller, five months after the incident in the Beaver Hills neighborhood.

Tymel Barker was arrested on March 12, 2026, and extradited from Louisiana with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. He is being held on $500,000 bond. The arrest came after a months-long investigation by New Haven Police Officer Michael Rubino that relied heavily on cell phone records and automated license plate reader data.

The Crash

The hit-and-run occurred at approximately 12:20 a.m. on October 15, 2025, at the intersection of Ella T. Grasso Boulevard and Goffe Terrace in the Beaver Hills section of New Haven. A vehicle struck a family of four crossing in a crosswalk.

The 7-year-old boy suffered broken bones in both legs and head injuries. His younger sibling was ejected from a stroller. Their mother sustained minor injuries. Their father was also struck.

The driver fled the scene without stopping.

How the Case Was Built

Cell phone records became the cornerstone of the investigation. Records reviewed by Officer Rubino showed that Barker's phone was in the area of Ella T. Grasso Boulevard and Goffe Terrace at 12:13 a.m. — minutes before the crash. Between 12:13 a.m. and 2:51 a.m. on October 15, the phone showed 37 incoming and outgoing calls. The trail of calls tracked movement from the crash site to Campbell Avenue in West Haven, where Barker's silver Honda Accord was subsequently found.

When investigators called one of the numbers tied to the phone, they reached Barker, who acknowledged that his name had appeared on a prescription bottle found inside the vehicle. He claimed at the time to have been in Bridgeport — a claim that GPS data from the phone contradicted.

Automated license plate reader data from Rekor systems also linked the Honda Accord to the crash site. Officer Rubino completed the arrest warrant affidavit on December 8, 2025. The warrant was issued on March 11, 2026.

Charges

Barker faces a lengthy list of charges, including first-degree assault, two counts of third-degree assault, two counts of risk of injury to a child, three counts of first-degree reckless endangerment, four counts of failure to yield at a crosswalk, improper use of a marker plate, failure to obey a traffic signal, insufficient insurance, and operating an unregistered motor vehicle.

Acting Police Chief David Zannelli and Captain Nicholas Marcucio announced the arrest at a press conference on March 11. The case was later detailed on March 17 by the New Haven Independent, which reviewed the warrant affidavit.

Barker is represented by the public defender's office. No pleas have been entered.

Digital Forensics Playing Larger Role in New Haven Investigations

The Barker case illustrates the increasing reliance on digital forensics in local hit-and-run investigations. Automated license plate readers — deployed by the city in partnership with Rekor Systems — have been cited in multiple New Haven arrests in recent years as investigators connect vehicles to crime scenes after the fact.

Cell phone location data, while requiring a warrant, has similarly become a standard investigative tool for tracking suspects' movements in cases where eyewitnesses and physical evidence are limited.

The crash at Ella T. Grasso Boulevard and Goffe Terrace occurred in a pedestrian corridor in Beaver Hills, a neighborhood where residents have previously raised concerns about speeding and pedestrian safety along the boulevard.

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