A man who is accused of shooting at a Coventry home while children were inside and killing a dog was arrested after a police chase that ended in Vernon, according to police.
The investigation started a just before 7:30 p.m. Thursday when a woman called police to report a domestic assault on High Street.
She said she had taken her children and drove to a friend’s home on Flanders Road, police said, and the dispatcher told the woman to go straight to police headquarters.
At 7:48 p.m., police received a call from the victim’s friend, according to a news release from police. She said she was watching her friend’s children and someone outside was shooting at her house and trying to kick in the door.
The woman, who told authorities she was hiding in a bathroom with the children, provided police with the name of the person she thought was firing the shots and a description of his 2011 Chevy Silverado.
Police responded, but the shooter was gone. A witness reported hearing around 20 gunshots.
No people were injured, but a dog inside the house was shot and was later euthanized because of the injuries, according to Coventry police.
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As police searched for a suspect, local police departments were alerted and a truck matching the description provided was seen on Route 32 in Willington.
A UConn officer tried to stop the driver, but he kept going, driving at speeds over 90 miles per hour, according to state police.
As the driver approached Interstate 84, state police used stop sticks, which flattened a wheel, but the driver kept going and entered Tolland, going 85 to 90 miles per hour until stopping at exit 66 in Vernon, according to state police.
Police took 36-year-old Daniel Ballard, of Coventry, into custody and arrested him. He was charged with criminal attempt to commit murder, criminal attempt to commit home invasion, criminal attempt to commit burglary in the first-degree, reckless endangerment, risk of injury to a minor, and unlawful discharge of a firearm in the domestic violence incident.
He also faces charges including reckless driving and engaging police in a pursuit in connection with the chase. He is being held on a combined $1.025 million bond.
