When the suspects’ car collided with a police car, the driver disobeyed the officers’ commands and continued to drive, according to an investigation by the Fairfield State Attorney’s office.

According to the report, one of the officers believed gunfire was coming from inside the car and the people inside were dangerous fleeing felons, so he and his fellow officers opened fire on the car containing the three men.

That officer, Michael Slavin, was one of five officers who shot into the car resulting in the death of the driver, 20-year-old Zoe Dowdell as well as injuries to the other two suspects. The five officers were cleared following a year-long investigation.

But on Friday, Slavin was again involved in a violent incident with a suspect when he was recorded on video beating 36-year-old Dennis Ramos in the middle of North Street.

“It appears the New Britain Police Department, the city and politicians didn’t learn anything from protests for three young men who were shot, one that was killed ... because this keeps happening,” Hartford activist Cornell Lewis said. Lewis helped organize a rally decrying the results of the investigation clearing the officers.

“It’s time for people to look at it from another perspective,” Lewis said. “The same old (practices) don’t seem to be working. We ask for justice and we keep getting shot and beat.”

According to Police Chief Chris Chute, Ramos was reaching into his left pocket to destroy a crack pipe after fleeing from Slavin on his bike when the officer approached him and others standing on the street. It wasn’t immediately clear why Ramos took off from Slavin.

“This video captures seconds of an encounter one of our officers had with a suspect who was resisting arrest and refusing to show his hands,” Chute said in a statement sent to The Herald Tuesday afternoon. “As with all incidents where officers use physical force, there is a review process conducted by supervisors.”

Attempts by The Herald to contact Ramos were unsuccessful. He did not answer the door at his Myrtle Street home on Wednesday. A records check showed Ramos was convicted on one drug charge and on a third-degree criminal trespass charge, both misdemeanors. He was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest for the incident on Friday, but other charges are still possible. He was released on a $500 bond.

Chute said he didn’t see a connection with Slavin’s involvement in the shooting of Dowdell and Friday’s incident. It would be premature to look at Slavin’s record before a decision at the end of the review on this new incident is made, Chute said. Chute did not return a request for comment on Wednesday.

“That itself is a huge problem,” Dan Barrett, legal director for the Connecticut chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.

It’s alarming that Chute doesn’t appear interested in a thorough and objective investigation into the incident, which are always incorrectly looked at as isolated incidents, Barrett said. The whole body of work of Slavin needs to be looked at, similar to what is done with employees in the private sector, he said.

Lewis, who acknowledged police have a difficult job, said there’s little Ramos could’ve done with the weight of the officer on him and there are other things the officer could’ve done besides hit the man to arrest him, like grabbing the left hand.

“If anything is to come out of this, we’re not going to let them know and it won’t be peaceful,” said Lewis on if a protest will be coming. He declined to clarify what that meant and left it up to interpretation. “Before the rallies were peaceful. The community is put on notice and will act accordingly.”

Slavin will be undergoing a review that is expected to last about a week, Chute said Tuesday. Slavin will remain in his position with no restrictions during the review, Chute said. The Herald has submitted a Freedom of Information Act request for Slavin’s personnel file.

“I am in discussions with the police chief about the incident and will be sure an internal investigation is done,” Mayor Erin Stewart said in a statement sent to The Herald on Tuesday.

Later that night at a political function she told The Herald she will make sure to communicate with the chief and then communicate with the community.

Charles Paullin can be reached at 860-801-5074 or cpaullin@cnetralctcommunications.com.