MIDDLETOWN, Conn. _ Steven Ellam, a man with a violent criminal history dating back more than a decade, intentionally rammed his car through the emergency room entrance at Middlesex Hospital Thursday morning before setting himself ablaze, officials said. They have not said what motivated the act.
Ellam, 27, lives on Milardo Lane, where federal, state and local authorities have been staging through the day waiting for court approval to search the home for explosives and other evidence, officials said. "This is a precautionary measure," Mayor Dan Drew said.
About 10 a.m., Ellam crashed his car through the hospital doors on Crescent Street, then doused himself in a liquid and ignited himself, said Police Chief William McKenna. The ensuing fire prompted an extensive response from city firefighters and police. In video shared with the Hartford Courant by a witness, smoke and flames billowed out of the entrance as medical staff treated Ellam on the sidewalk outside the doors.
Ellam was flown to Bridgeport Hospital, but officials said they did not know his condition as of Thursday afternoon.
Bomb squads from Hartford and state police converged on the hospital and searched the car, finding cans with flammable liquid inside, Drew said. Those liquids have been sent to the state lab for testing.
Officials said Ellam's act was intentional, but said they could not yet comment on a motive. When asked if it was an act of terrorism, Drew further declined to comment on his motivation.
A hospital security guard was hospitalized for smoke inhalation while apparently evacuating patients and staff following the crash, said Middlesex Vice President of Operations David Giuffrida.
The FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives responded. FBI New Haven Division Chief Patricia Ferrick said: "The FBI is assisting local law enforcement with this unfolding investigation at Middlesex Hospital."
Drew said the city increased security at public facilities, including schools, but only as a precaution.
"I want to make clear that the people of Middletown are safe, we believe this was an isolated incident and we believe that there is no threat to the community," Drew said at a late afternoon news conference.
Captain Gary Wallace said officers made an initial sweep of Ellam's Milardo Lane home to determine if anyone else was in danger, but then left the house to apply for a search warrant.
Ellam has an extensive criminal history that began when he was 14, Wallace said.
According to Connecticut's criminal convictions database, Ellam was sentenced to 33 months in prison for an attack on a woman in June 2013 in Middletown. He pleaded guilty to first-degree strangulation, interfering with police officers, and violating probation. Middletown police said at the time that Ellam accused the woman of having sinned, and that he told her she would have to repent. Police said the badly beaten woman was able to call 911.
In 2010, Ellam was charged with assaulting his father, who had confronted him over his drinking, police said. Records show he has additional arrests for assault, a hit-and-run car accident and drunken driving.
Officials said the car crashed through the hospital doors at about 10 a.m. A number of gas cans were found in the vehicle, prompting evacuations of the hospital and nearby homes.
The hospital said about 30 patients and 20 staff members were in the emergency room area at the time of the crash.
"As a precautionary measure, we have called in assistance from other municipal, state and federal authorities to assist us in clearing this vehicle and clearing this individual's home prior to police entering it," Drew said. "We are also evacuating the homes in the immediate vicinity around his home."
Police Chief William McKenna said police have had contact with the person before, but would not elaborate.
"At this time we don't believe there is any threat to the community and we believe this to be an isolated incident," Drew said.
Social media pictures and video show smoke rising from the crash scene. T.J. O'Brien of Northford said he arrived at the hospital for an appointment around 10 a.m., apparently just after the crash.
"About a minute after that someone came running out of the fire in his birthday suit screaming 'Oh my God,'" O'Brien said.
Lindsey Heidel and Ali Mielczarski were nearby when news spread of the incident. The two live nearby and came to see the scene, both in disbelief of what unfolded.
"We didn't believe it at first," Heidel said. "This is just insane; you don't expect it from anyone."
Heidel said a friend of hers was leaving the hospital just minutes before the car rammed into the emergency department entrance.
Mielczarski said her aunt works in the hospital but was not hurt.
"She's worked here for 35 years. She's probably shocked," Mielczarski said.
On Milardo Lane, residents said the presence of police at their neighbor's home was unsettling.
Not long after the car crashed into the hospital, Bill Wilson, who parked his car on Milardo Lane midday Thursday, got a text from his sister, who worked there. She said: "I am just giving you a heads up. I'm OK."
Soon Wilson heard from his friend, who lives on Milardo Lane, about a police presence and said he could go over to check it out. "I am going to stop by to see everything is OK. That's when I saw everyone," Wilson said of the local, state and federal investigators.
"We knew the person who lived in the house. We didn't know any younger person (there)," Wilson said. "(My friend's) concern was something bad would happen and his kid is getting out of school soon. ... That was their worry."
In this secluded residential area, Wilson said: "You don't expect this. I didn't expect this."
Lou DiMauro has lived several houses down on Milardo Lane for 10 years and knew the owner well, recalling block parties at the home. But that man moved to Florida about six years ago. In the times since, he said a son or grandson of the owner had moved in. "I saw him out there cutting the grass a few times, but that's it," DiMauro said.
"Very quiet, very quiet," DiMauro said of the man living in the home. "The whole neighborhood is quiet."
DiMauro, standing on his deck looking out at the investigators, said: "You just don't know anymore. It's just the way it is."
Hartford HealthCare has increased security at its emergency departments as a precaution, spokesperson Shawn Mawhiney said in a statement.
He said MidState Medical Center, both campuses of the Hospital of Central Connecticut and Hartford Hospital are accepting patients while the Middlesex Hospital emergency room is closed.
It will be a while before residents who were told to leave their homes will be able to return, the police chief said at a news conference.
Amanda Falcone, hospital spokeswoman, said, "We are very thankful for our first responders for their quick response."
A car crashed into the emergency room at Hartford Hospital Monday night, but it was determined to be an accident.
The driver inadvertently hit the gas pedal, and the car surged into the building, breaking glass, police said. He wasn't injured.
That crash happened because the motorist, who was outside the ER waiting for a family member, was startled when a security worker knocked on his car window, police said.
