New Haven Man, 20, Faces 13 Charges After Woodbridge Crash Reveals Assault Weapon and Drugs

New Haven Man Arrested After Woodbridge Crash

Jaivon Williams, 20, of New Haven was arrested in Woodbridge on Tuesday, Feb. 24, after crashing his vehicle on Baldwin Road and allegedly attempting to flee the scene with an assault weapon and pounds of drugs mixed with fentanyl, according to reports from Fox61, the Hartford Courant, and WTNH.

Woodbridge police responded to the single-vehicle crash at approximately 8:45 p.m. While officers were en route, they received reports that a man was removing a license plate from the vehicle and trying to leave the area, police said. When officers arrived, they found Williams walking near the crash site. No injuries were reported in the collision, according to police.

Weapon and Drugs Found at Woodbridge Crash Scene

After detaining Williams, officers located a backpack near the crashed vehicle. Inside was a 5.7x28mm Smith & Wesson M&P firearm loaded with 22 rounds of ammunition, Fox61 reported. The 5.7x28mm round is a high-velocity cartridge originally designed for military and law enforcement use. Connecticut classifies certain semi-automatic firearms as assault weapons, and possession without proper licensing is a felony.

Police also seized three bags of a cocaine and fentanyl mixture weighing a combined 77.57 grams and four bags of marijuana mixed with fentanyl weighing 1,701 grams — approximately 3.75 pounds — from Williams, according to the police account cited by Fox61.

The presence of fentanyl in both the cocaine and marijuana seized by police is a significant concern. The synthetic opioid, which can be lethal in microgram doses, has been found mixed into an increasing range of street drugs in Connecticut and across the country. State health officials have warned that fentanyl-contaminated substances pose severe overdose risks even for users unaware of the adulteration.

Williams Faces 13 Charges in New Haven Superior Court

Williams was held on a $500,000 bond at Woodbridge Police Headquarters and transported to New Haven Superior Court the following day, Feb. 25, to face 13 criminal charges, according to Fox61.

The weapons charges include criminal possession of a firearm, illegal possession of an assault weapon, illegal possession of a large capacity magazine, carrying a pistol without a permit, and illegal possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle. Illegal possession of an assault weapon is classified as a Class D felony under Connecticut law.

The drug charges include possession of one kilogram or more of cannabis with intent to sell and possession of narcotics with intent to sell. The total weight of drugs seized — more than 1,700 grams of marijuana mixed with fentanyl and 77 grams of cocaine mixed with fentanyl — exceeds multiple statutory thresholds for enhanced drug charges in Connecticut.

Williams was also charged with operating an unregistered motor vehicle and interfering with an officer, according to the police account. The $500,000 bond reflects the severity of the combined weapons and drug allegations.

What's Next

Williams' case will proceed through New Haven Superior Court, where he faces the 13 charges. No information about his legal representation, arraignment date, or next court appearance has been publicly released as of Feb. 26. No prior criminal history for Williams appeared in publicly available records at the time of his arrest.

While the crash occurred in Woodbridge, Williams was processed through New Haven Superior Court, which handles criminal cases for the judicial district covering both municipalities. Given the combination of weapons and drug charges, the case could take months to resolve through the court system. Court records typically become accessible through the Connecticut Judicial Branch's case lookup system within days of an initial appearance.

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