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Need for Continued School Bus Safety Emphasized Further by Canton, CT Crash

The Hartford Courant reports today about a bus crash that injured several students from the Canton, Connecticut school district. This case highlights the continued need for school bus companies to provide for the safe travel of schoolchildren.

You can read the story here: http://www.courant.com/community/canton/hc-west-hartford-school-bus-1113-20131112,0,4274602.story


Motorcyclist Injured In Farmington Crash

FARMINGTON — A motorcyclist suffered serious leg injuries during a crash Monday in the area of Route 177 and Westwoods Drive, police said.

Police and firefighters treated the man at the scene before he was taken to Hartford Hospital in an ambulance.

The crash, reported at 12:24 p.m., involved a sedan. The driver of the sedan suffered minor injuries and refused treatment at the scene, police said.

Any witnesses to the crash or anyone with information is asked to call Farmington police at 860-675-2400.

Route 177 was closed for several hours for the accident investigation, but has since re-opened.


Two Killed, Including Pregnant Woman, In Farmington Crash

FARMINGTON — Two people, including a woman who was eight months pregnant, died in a two-car crash on Route 6 in Farmington Monday afternoon.

Police released the names of the adults involved in the crash Tuesday morning.

Melinda Hart, 27, of Bristol, was driving a minivan in which her three children were passengers. Her 8-year-old son, whose name was not released, was seriously injured and was taken by helicopter to Hartford Hospital. He is now in the intensive care unit at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, police said.

Hart was eight months pregnant and her fetus did not survive the crash, police said.

Ruth Carroll, 86, of Bristol, also died in the crash. She was the passenger in the sedan that collided with the minivan. Her husband, Robert Carroll, 85, was the driver and he remains at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, where police said he underwent surgery Monday night. He suffered serious injuries to his legs and lower body.

Two other children in the minivan were treated at St. Francis and released.

Police said their investigation into the crash continues, but the initial indication is that the sedan turned in front of the eastbound minivan.

The crash was reported at 12:33 p.m. at Route 6 and Hyde Road in Farmington.

The roadway was closed for several hours as police investigated.

The North Central Accident Reconstruction Squad is investigating the cause of the crash.

Farmington police are asking that any witnesses, or anyone with information about the crash, call them at 860-675-2400.


New Distracted Driving Laws in Connecticut

On October 1, 2013, new laws will go into effect in Connecticut that look to strengthen the existing distracted driving laws.  One new law increases the fines for violating the ban on operating while using your cell phone, texting or for engaging in activity that interferes with the safe operation of the vehicle.  Beginning on October 1, the fine for a first offense will be $150.00, for a second offense the fine will be $300.00 and the fine will be $500.00 for each subsequent offense.  Another law specifically prohibits drivers from using a cell phone or testing device while their vehicle is temporarily stopped due to traffic or road conditions or while stopped for a traffic control signal.

Fatal Car Vs. Tractor Trailer Crash In Griswold

GRISWOLD — A motorist has died in a collision involving a car and a tractor trailer truck, police said.

The accident was reported shortly after 10:30 a.m. on Route 138, or Voluntown Road, they said. It happened in front of Ocean State Job Lot, 461 Voluntown Road.

State troopers are at the scene and are expected to remain there for some time. The on ramp to I-395 north at exit 85 has been closed as police investigate.

Check back for more information.


10 Taken To Hospitals After East Hartford Crash

EAST HARTFORD — Ten people have been taken to area hospital after a crash on I-84 involving a van that was carrying people with developmental disabilities.

The Ambulance Service of Manchester sent four ambulances and Aetna sent one to the crash scene on eastbound I-84 between exits 55 and 56.

State police and East Hartford firefighters were on the scene.

 


City Official Charged With DUI To Police: ‘Do You Know Who I Am?’

HARTFORD ——

When police arrived at the intersection of Prospect and Farmington avenues Saturday night — where two cars had collided, totaling a city-owned vehicle — they noticed that one of the drivers, Rhonda Moniz-Carroll, had “red, glossy eyes,” “thick, slurred speech” and a strong odor of alcohol emanating from her breath, according to an incident report.

Mayor Pedro Segarra fired Moniz-Carroll, the city’s deputy public works director, on Monday. She was charged over the weekend with driving while intoxicated and failure to drive in a proper lane.

A preliminary investigation showed that Moniz-Carroll, 53, veered into oncoming traffic on Prospect Avenue, police said. She collided head-on with another vehicle about 9:30 p.m.

Both the city-issued Ford Escape that Moniz-Carroll was driving and the other car, a 2006 Nissan Altima, were damaged in the crash.

The driver of the Nissan was Caitlin Greenbaum of Hartford, sources said. She was taken to St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center for treatment of an ankle injury and a concussion. Moniz-Carroll, of 54 Cone St., refused medical attention.

Moniz-Carroll told police she was driving south on Prospect Avenue and that the other driver was headed north. Police noticed “a debris of car parts in the north bound lane,” adding: “The focus of the debris was mainly where the impact point was.”

“Based on the area of the impact, I determined Rhonda Moniz-Carroll crossed the double-yellow line and struck [another] vehicle that was traveling north on Prospect,” an officer wrote in a report.

When police approached Moniz-Carroll’s car and questioned her about the accident, they noted she had “droopy eyelids,” “blood shot eyes” and slurred speech. One officer wrote in a report that he detected “an overwhelming odor of alcoholic beverage” on Moniz-Carroll’s breath.

During a field sobriety test, Moniz-Carroll swayed while trying to balance, raised her arms for stability and “would look in the opposite direction of the stimulus in an apparent attempt to sabotage the test,” according to an incident report.

She initially told police she had not consumed alcohol before driving, but later said she drank one glass of wine at 11 a.m. Saturday, the report states.

During interviews with police, Moniz-Carroll said: “Are you serious? You’re going to arrest me! Do you know who I am?” and “Does Chief [William] Long know you are doing your job and arresting me? Do you know who I am?”

At police headquarters, Moniz-Carroll refused a Breathalyzer test and told officers that her husband, Kevin Carroll, was her attorney. As police spoke to her, “she became more upset … stating ‘this is ridiculous. I can’t believe you are doing this. Do you know who I am?'” an incident report states.

Greenbaum told police she did not remember anything before or after the crash. She was “extremely disoriented and was suffering from memory loss due to the force of the impact,” a report states.

Moniz-Carroll is scheduled to be arraigned Friday at Hartford Superior Court.

The accident renewed attention to the assignment and use of city-owned vehicles. Segarra’s former chief of staff, Jared Kupiec, was charged in July with using a city car without permission and interfering with police after he had left the city’s employ. He was later granted a special form of probation.

The Hartford Internal Audit Commission is investigating the assignments and policies for take-home city vehicles, and the city council is considering a proposal that would limit their use.

Fifty-nine employees are currently assigned city vehicles that they can take home.


Police: Two Brothers Killed In East Hartford Crash

EAST HARTFORD — Two brothers, ages 16 and 18, were killed in a one-car crash early Sunday morning, police said.

Robert Swain, 18, of 235 Main St., East Hartford, was pronounced dead at the scene, police said in a statement released Monday evening. His brother, Landrew Swain, 16, of 33 Delmont St., Manchester, was taken to Hartford Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

They said the driver of the car, an 18-year-old male who was not identified, was not injured but was taken to St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center as a precaution.

The fourth occupant, a 20-year-old male who also was not identified, was seriously injured, police said, and was taken to Hartford Hospital.

The accident happened about 4:15 a.m. Sunday. Police said a green BMW was found on the front lawn of 380 Forest St., with four people inside.

In a statement Monday evening, Mayor Marcia Leclerc said, “Our hearts are heavy for the loss of these young men. Our thoughts and prayers are with their family and we stand ready to ensure that our community has the professional support needed to grieve.”

The Mid-State Accident Reconstruction Team, which includes officers from Berlin, Cromwell, Newington, Rocky Hill and Wethersfield, responded to the scene to help East Hartford police.

The investigation is ongoing and is being conducted by the East Hartford Police Department.


Man Dies After Being Hit By Car In Hartford

HARTFORD — A pedestrian was struck and killed by a car on New Britain Avenue late Tuesday, police said.

Shortly before 11 p.m., police responded to the area of 914 New Britain Ave. for the report of a person being hit by a car. When officers arrived they found a man in the street suffering from serious injuries, police said.

Officers on scene began administering first aid to the man and he was rushed to Hartford Hospital where he died from his injuries.

Police said the driver remained on scene and the accident is under investigation. It’s not clear if charges will be filed at this time.


Overnight Fatal Crash Closes NB I-95 In Greenwich

GREENWICH — A fatal crash involving two tractor-trailers and a service truck closed northbound I-95 near exit 3 in Greenwich early Friday, but the roadway is expected to reopen soon.

State police closed the highway to conduct their investigation and clear the damaged vehicles.

The crash was reported about 2:40 a.m. and initial reports are that a northbound tractor trailer struck a service truck that was on the shoulder behind a second tractor trailer that had a flat tire. The service truck was pushed into the trailer of the truck on the shoulder.

State police reopened the roadway’s left lane about 7 a.m.


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