Hartford Police Department, Connecticut
End of Watch Wednesday, September 6, 2023
Add to My HeroesRobert Garten
Detective Bobby Garten was killed when his patrol car was struck by a fleeing vehicle at the intersection of Asylum Avenue and Broad Street at about 10:30 p.m.
Officers initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle with canceled registration tags. As they approached the vehicle, it sped north on Broad Street; however, officers did not pursue it.
Detective Garten was in the passenger seat of a patrol car traveling east on Asylum Avenue with emergency equipment activated en route to another incident. The fleeing car sped through the Farmington Avenue red traffic signal, and as it was speeding through the red traffic signal at Asylum Avenue, it struck the passenger side of the cruiser.
Detective Garten and the officer driving the cruiser were transported to St. Francis Hospital where Officer Garten succumbed to his injuries. The other officer was admitted in stable condition.
The subject was charged with failure to obey a traffic control signal, failure to renew registration, misuse of plates, and interfering with a police officer. His charges were upgraded to first-degree manslaughter and first-degree assault, reckless endangerment, disobeying the direction of an officer, reckless driving, DUI, and failure to yield to an emergency vehicle. In 2025, he pleaded guilty to manslaughter, first-degree assault, and interfering with a police officer.
Detective Garten had served with the Hartford Police Department for eight years. He was a second-generation police officer. He is survived by his parents, brother, nephews, and grandmother.
Detective Garten was posthumously promoted to detective.
Bio
- Age 34
- Tour 8 years
- Badge 1781
Incident Details
- Cause Vehicular assault
- Weapon Automobile
- Offender Pled guilty to manslaughter
Most Recent Reflection
View all 104 ReflectionsBobby, I miss you buddy. You got your wings early, but we “got it” down here. Same way you used to say. You changed many lives on patrol. Weeks before you passed you reminded me we have badge numbers because they are replaceable, but legacy we leave behind lives on forever. It sure does my brother . Rest is peace
Detective Amer Habibovic
Friend
April 20, 2025
Recent LODD Deaths

Lieutenant Eddie Mays
Bernie Police Department, MO
EOW: June 5, 2025

Police Officer Gabriel Facio
Apache Junction Police Department, AZ
EOW: June 8, 2025

Police Officer Krystal Rivera
Chicago Police Department, IL
EOW: June 5, 2025

Sergeant J. D. White
Angleton Police Department, TX
EOW: June 1, 2025

Police Officer Timothy Ontiveros
Bloomfield Police Department, NM
EOW: June 1, 2025

Police Officer Samuel Riveros
Baldwin Park Police Department, CA
EOW: May 31, 2025

Deputy Sheriff Daniel Weston Sherrer
Morrow County Sheriff's Office, OH
EOW: May 26, 2025

Deputy Sheriff Nathaniel Ansay
Florence County Sheriff's Office, SC
EOW: May 20, 2025

Lieutenant Allen "Noochie" Credeur
Rayne Police Department, LA
EOW: May 5, 2025