A West Haven, Connecticut police officer is facing a felony assault charge after an arrest warrant alleged he punched a man in the head 18 times during a late-night call outside a bar this summer.
The case has now triggered a state police investigation, a push to strip his police certification, and serious questions about use of force, accountability, and what “intervention” looks like in real time.
And it might never have come to light without another officer speaking up.
A Late-Night Call Outside JR’s Bar & Grill
WTNH’s Zuri Hoffman reports that the incident dates back to July 1, outside JR’s Bar & Grill on Campbell Avenue in West Haven.
Police were called for an “unwanted person” – 37-year-old Kevin Zollo – who was reportedly sitting on the sidewalk and refusing to leave.
Hoffman says two security guards told officers that Zollo wouldn’t move.
When officers, including Officer Richard Naccarato, arrived, they also tried to persuade Zollo to leave.
According to the arrest warrant described by Hoffman and WFSB’s Matt McFarland, Zollo was still just sitting and eating food when the first officer got there.
He wasn’t accused of attacking anyone at that point.
He was simply refusing to leave the sidewalk.
That detail matters, because Connecticut State Police would later note that Zollo was “not committing an illegal act” just by sitting there with no pedestrian traffic around him.
A Punch To The Officer – Then 18 Back To The Suspect
Things changed when Naccarato moved to arrest Zollo.
The warrant says that as Naccarato approached, Zollo abruptly stood up and struck the officer in the face one or two times.
Hoffman reports that the two fell to the ground, and Zollo appeared to be scratching Naccarato’s face as the officer radioed for backup.
Up to that point, Naccarato clearly had a legal basis to arrest Zollo.
Zollo allegedly hit a police officer and then struggled on the ground.
But what happened next is what put Naccarato under criminal investigation.
According to Hoffman, body-camera footage shows Naccarato punching Zollo three times in the head, and then delivering another fifteen punches while Zollo is on the ground.
McFarland adds, citing a state police detective, that those punches continued even after Zollo stopped resisting, with “distinct thuds” heard on the recording.
That’s how you get to the number everyone is now focused on: 18 closed-fist strikes to the head.
Injuries And A Fellow Officer Saying “No, No, No”
Medical records reviewed by police showed Zollo suffered a scalp hematoma, a minor head injury, a contusion on the right side of his head, and multiple abrasions to his head, according to Hoffman’s report.
Connecticut State Police wrote in their findings that Zollo “did not seem to be resisting in a manner consistent with that level of force.”
The videos also captured something else important.
Hoffman says another officer helping to restrain Zollo is seen touching Naccarato’s back as he throws the final punch and can be heard saying “no, no, no” — language state police said was consistent with the requirement to intervene when an officer believes force has become excessive.
McFarland reports that this officer’s actions and later report are what triggered the internal chain of review.
After the scene was under control, the warrant states that Naccarato told a supervisor, “He was clawing my eyes, so I just put him on the ground and (punching motions) until he gave up.”
Taken together, the footage, the physical injuries, and the repeated head strikes created a picture that was hard for investigators to ignore.
How The Case Moved From Internal Review To Criminal Charge
In a press conference carried by FOX61, West Haven Police Chief Joseph Perno laid out the timeline and stressed that this case started with self-reporting from officers on scene.
Perno says that on July 1, after the arrest, officers told their superiors that “the arresting officer may have used out-of-policy force.”
On July 2, body-camera video was pulled and reviewed.
An internal Use of Force Panel convened on July 2–3 and concluded that the force was not in accordance with West Haven Police Department policies and procedures and was outside departmental training.
On July 4, Perno says, Naccarato was called into his office and placed on administrative leave pending an internal affairs investigation.
The department then brought the case to Milford court, which sought guidance from the Chief State’s Attorney’s Office and transferred it to Danbury court.
From there, Connecticut State Police conducted a full criminal investigation.
That investigation, as Hoffman and McFarland both report, led to an arrest warrant charging Naccarato with second-degree assault, a felony.
He was arrested in October, released on a $50,000 bond, and is scheduled to appear in court later this month.
Decertification Effort And “The System Works” Message
Chief Perno told reporters that, in addition to the criminal case, the department has submitted paperwork to the Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) Council seeking decertification of Naccarato.
If POST agrees, Naccarato would be barred from serving as a police officer anywhere in Connecticut.
Perno repeatedly emphasized that another officer’s decision to intervene and report what they saw is exactly how accountability laws are supposed to function.
“The officer that intervened, we give a lot of credit to that officer,” Perno said at the podium.
He told residents that “the system does work” when officers report concerns up the chain, the Use of Force Panel responds, and cases are brought to court.
At the same time, the fact that it took 18 punches and a state police investigation for the system to show its teeth raises fair questions.
It’s encouraging that fellow officers spoke up.
But it’s also fair for the public to wonder how many borderline incidents never get that kind of internal pushback.
Mayor, Residents, And The Reputation Of The Force
West Haven Mayor Dorinda Borer also spoke at the FOX61-covered press conference, backing Perno’s response while trying to protect the department’s broader reputation.
Borer said “the tone of a department starts at the top,” and she thanked Perno for making it clear these actions wouldn’t be tolerated.
She praised the officers who reported the force and the internal committee that acted “very timely and according to policy and law.”
But Borer also delivered a message she clearly wanted residents to hear:
“The actions of one individual are not a reflection on our entire force that works hard every single day for the residents of the city of West Haven.”
McFarland adds voices from the community, including West Haven resident Keith Hart, who said the officer “should know better” because “all eyes are on them. Everything he does is being watched.”
That comment cuts to the heart of modern policing: officers now operate in a world where almost everything is recorded – by body cameras, security cameras, and smartphones.
When you punch someone in the head 18 times on camera, you’re not just betting on your judgment.
You’re betting that everyone who later watches that footage will see it the same way you did in the moment.
In this case, they didn’t.
Charges For Both Men, And Unanswered Questions
Zuri Hoffman reports that Kevin Zollo was also charged after the incident.
He faces counts including assault on a peace officer, second-degree breach of peace, and interfering with an officer for allegedly striking Naccarato and resisting during the initial takedown.
Naccarato, meanwhile, has no prior recorded issues with West Haven Police since joining in June 2021, according to Chief Perno.
His attorney told McFarland they have no comment beyond saying they are awaiting discovery and look forward to reviewing the state’s evidence.
That’s a reminder that, as shocking as the details are, this is still an active criminal case.
Naccarato is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
Zollo’s charges are also still pending.
But even as the legal process plays out, the body cam footage and the state police findings have already changed local policy conversations.
What This Case Says About Force, Accountability, And Culture
Taken together, the reporting from Zuri Hoffman, Matt McFarland, and the remarks by Chief Joseph Perno and Mayor Dorinda Borer paint a layered picture.
On one hand, you have an officer who was struck first, who says he was being clawed at, and who claims he delivered “closed fist strikes to gain control.”
On the other hand, you have video and medical records showing repeated head strikes — 18 in total – continuing even after state police say the suspect no longer appeared to be resisting.
You have a fellow officer physically intervening and saying “no, no, no.”
You have a Use of Force Panel that found the actions outside policy.
You have a chief and a mayor openly backing decertification and criminal review.
In a way, this case shows both the problem and the potential.
The problem is obvious: an arrest for a sidewalk dispute ending in a man with a head injury and an officer facing felony charges is not what public safety is supposed to look like.
But the potential is there too.
Another officer refused to look the other way.
Supervisors didn’t bury it.
State police and courts got involved.
That isn’t a perfect system – and it only works when people inside it choose to act – but it’s a sign that the old culture of silence isn’t as untouchable as it once was.
For West Haven residents, the outcome of the court case will matter.
But so will what happens next: how training is reinforced, how force is reviewed going forward, and whether officers continue to step in and speak up when something doesn’t look right.
Because if it really took 18 punches and one brave “no, no, no” to bring this all into the open, there’s a lot of work left to do.
Ed spent his childhood in the backwoods of Maine, where harsh winters taught him the value of survival skills. With a background in bushcraft and off-grid living, Ed has honed his expertise in fire-making, hunting, and wild foraging. He writes from personal experience, sharing practical tips and hands-on techniques to thrive in any outdoor environment. Whether it’s primitive camping or full-scale survival, Ed’s advice is grounded in real-life challenges.
