By Tiffany Williams –
WATERFORD, Conn. — A Connecticut traffic stop in the middle of the night quickly became something much more serious.
State Police say a driver was traveling as fast as 100 mph on Interstate 395 — 35 mph above the posted speed limit — while carrying four unsecured adult passengers, including two riding in the vehicle’s trunk or cargo compartment.
It happened at approximately 2:12 a.m. on August 2 as an on-duty trooper conducted traffic enforcement on I-395 between Exits 2 and 5 in Waterford.
The trooper spotted a vehicle heading northbound at what police described as a high rate of speed and attempted to catch up.
State Police said the vehicle reached speeds of up to 100 mph in a posted 65 mph zone, slowing only as it negotiated a curve near the Exit 5 ramp.
But speed wasn’t the only thing that caught the trooper’s attention.
Police said the vehicle repeatedly drifted left, with its left tires traveling onto the painted solid yellow line multiple times.
The trooper initiated a traffic stop.
The vehicle eventually pulled onto the right shoulder between the Exit 6 entrance and exit ramps.
Then came another discovery.
According to State Police, the trooper observed two unsecured passengers inside the vehicle’s trunk or cargo compartment.
Two additional unsecured passengers were sitting between two secured passengers in the second row of seats.
The trooper approached the driver and reported observing signs of possible impairment.
The operator was identified as Isaak Berkun, 21, of Guilford.
Police said Berkun was asked to step out of the vehicle as the investigation continued. He agreed to participate in Standardized Field Sobriety Tests.
State Police said the tests were not performed to standard.
Based on the information gathered and the trooper’s observations, Berkun was taken into custody without incident and transported to Troop E in Montville for processing.
He was charged with reckless driving, operating under the influence and failure to maintain lane.
The consequences did not stop with the driver.
State Police issued infractions to all four unsecured adult passengers for failure to wear a seatbelt.
Berkun was processed without incident and released on a $500 non-surety bond.
He was scheduled to be arraigned August 11 in Norwich Superior Court.