Man accused of killing Connecticut state trooper in hit-and-run arrested, held on $5M bond

HARTFORD, Conn. (TND) — Connecticut State Police (CSP) on Friday announced it has made an arrest connected to the death of a state trooper recently killed in the line of duty.

Trooper First Class Aaron Pelletier died Thursday while performing a traffic stop on a state highway. A vehicle collided with Pelletier, his squad car and the vehicle he had pulled over before the trooper died from fatal injuries at the scene, according to CSP. The driver of the vehicle fled the scene but was later tracked down by police.

TFC Pelletier served the citizens of the state of Connecticut with an unwavering sense of dedication, pride and professionalism, and his sacrifice will never be forgotten,” a press release on the incident reads.

CSP held a procession Friday for the fallen trooper.

Police later arrested 44-year-old Alex Oyola-Sanchez, who is accused of killing Pelletier. He is charged with failure to renew registration, operating a motor vehicle without minimum insurance, failure to drive in proper lane, evading responsibility resulting in death, 2nd degree manslaughter with a motor vehicle and operating while intoxicated.

Oyola-Sanchez is being held on $5,000,000 bond and was scheduled for an arraignment hearing Friday morning. He previously served a federal sentence for murder and was arrested for homicide in Puerto Rico, WFSB reported.

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont honored the fallen trooper by directing state flags to fly at half-mast.

“This is devastating news and a tragic reminder about the dangers law enforcement face every day when they leave their homes and go to work,” the governor wrote via X. “Trooper Pelletier served Connecticut with honor, integrity, and commitment, and he embodies the definition of public service.”

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