Stolen Military Vehicle Causes Havoc in Upstate New York

A wild overnight chase in Upstate New York ended with a stolen military-style vehicle plowing through streets, smashing into telephone poles, fire hydrants, and injuring two police officers.

Stolen Military Vehicle Sparks Overnight Chaos in Upstate New York

According to the City of Utica Police Department, the incident started around 2:20 a.m. on Wednesday, April 29th, 2026, when a security officer at the Alexander Pirnie Federal Building reported that a large military-style vehicle parked nearby had suddenly disappeared.

According to officials, the guard had spotted a suspicious man walking in the area and later confirmed on surveillance video that the man got inside the vehicle and drove off.

Dangerous Chase Turns Violent in Utica, NY

After learning this, officers were able to eventually track the vehicle down on West Street and attempted to pull it over, but the driver had no intention of stopping.

Instead, police say the suspect began moving erratically, inching forward and backward before suddenly accelerating directly toward officers. They were forced to scramble out of the way to avoid being hit.

From there, things got even worse as the vehicle tore through multiple streets before crashing into a utility pole, ripping it from the ground. It also sheared off a fire hydrant and caused heavy damage to a building on Genesee Street.

Officer Climbs on Moving Vehicle

At one point during the chaos, an officer climbed onto the moving vehicle in an attempt to stop it and break the driver’s side window. Unfortunately, that attempt ended violently when the driver sped off, throwing the officer off the vehicle.

The officer was injured and rushed to a local hospital for treatment.

Rampage Finally Ends

The stolen vehicle continued barreling down Genesee Street, swerving across lanes before finally crashing into a tree.

Once stopped, officers again climbed onto the vehicle and attempted to break the windows and pull the driver out. After several moments, the driver opened the door and exited the truck, but not without a fight.

As officers struggled to take him into custody, another officer was injured, suffering a significant injury to his hand and wrist.

Suspect Identified, Facing Multiple Charges

Police identified the suspect as 29-year-old Daniel Passino-Brazeau, who is now facing a long list of charges, including:

• Assault (two counts)
• Grand larceny
• Driving while intoxicated
• Unlawful fleeing a police officer
• Multiple vehicle and traffic violations

Investigators say more charges are likely.

Aftermath: Road Closures and Damage

The damage left behind was extensive and forced officials to close portions of a few roads in the area as crews worked to clear debris from the roadway and assess the destruction.

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Thankfully, both injured officers have since been treated and released. One officer suffered head and body injuries and is expected to be out of work for a period of time.

Could Have Been Worse

Despite the destruction and injuries, police say this situation could have been much worse.

Police credited the quick-thinking federal building security officer for spotting the theft early, along with coordinated police work that helped keep other drivers and pedestrians out of harm’s way.

Considering the size of the vehicle and how the suspect was driving, authorities said they are very grateful that no innocent bystanders were seriously hurt.