State Police: Weekend Death Toll A Concern

Connecticut State Police today said Memorial Day weekend crashes that took the lives of 10 people on state roads are a concern as they urge motorists to be cautious behind the wheel.

Police said there was no single reason for what happened, though they said it was a combination of many factors leading to many deaths.

“We are extremely concerned and saddened by the tragic fatal crashes that occurred during this holiday weekend. The Connecticut State Police are working to determine the exact causes of the multiple fatal accidents around the state," said state police spokesperson Sgt. Dawn Pagan in a statement to Patch late this morning.

"At this time, there does not appear to be any commonalities looking at the preliminary information. Each fatal accident has different causes and variables involved. Our message to drivers stays the same.

"We cannot emphasize enough that as we move into the summer weather that the public take caution — buckle up, slow down, ditch distractions, move over. Small changes can make the difference between going home safely….or a tragedy.”

According to figures released by Connecticut State Police Tuesday morning, at least 10 people died in the crashes, which happened in Hampton, Thompson, Guilford and Madison.

The 10 holiday weekend deaths contrasts negatively with the death tolls during the three previous Memorial Day weekends, with one reported in 2021, none in 2020 and one in 2019.

While deaths seemingly piling up, the number of crashes and those with injuries, actually, went down compared to a year ago.

State police this morning said there were 359 accidents in 2022, with only 35 having injuries (one seriously.)

As far as past Memorial Day holiday weekends, there were 377 crashes in 2021 (56 with injuries); 175 in 2020 (no figure on injuries); and 341 in 2019 (52 with injuries).

Still, Pagan said the seriousness of what happened Saturday, Sunday and Monday had responders scrambling.

"They had their hands full this weekend," Pagan said. "They were very, very busy."

It started Saturday morning on Route 6 in Hampton, when 17-year-old Willimantic resident Fabian Rafael Sosa-Mangual died after crashing the car he was driving at 7:34 a.m.

Despite wearing his seat belts, state police said the teenager was ejected from his vehicle upon impacting a metal guide rail and, then, several trees off the state roadway.

He was the sole occupant, police said.

Five people were then killed on Interstate 95 on Sunday, with four dead after a wrong-way driver crashed head-on with another vehicle in Guilford at 2:47 a.m.

Then, later in the day Sunday and not far from the Guilford accident, a car plowed into the back of a tractor trailer stopped on Interstate 95 in Madison at about 7:33 a.m.

The driver of the Suburu that crashed into the trailer was later pronounced dead.

Monday, four more people died in Thompson when a car full of people from Rhode Island slammed into trees after the driver lost control on Quaddick Town Farm Road.

Pagan said crashes on rural roadways, like the one in Thompson, often cause troopers the most concern when they learn of the type of accident they have to respond to.

"Trees don't move," Pagan said. "I would always get goosebumps when you hear it on the radio as a car versus tree."

Late Tuesday afternoon, state police then released an accident report about a double-fatal crash that happened at 7:49 p.m. Monday on Route 32 in Franklin.

Police said that crash was a head-on collision that claimed the lives of two people in one of the vehicles, a driver and a passenger.

In addition, Norwich police reported a fatal motorcycle accident Sunday night and multiple people died in drownings over the holiday weekend.

While all of these incidents are separate crashes, Pagan said it should drive home the point to motorists that being careful and following good safety measures can save lives.

For example, she said the people killed in Thompson were not wearing their seat belts.

In addition to seat belts, Pagan said motorists have to be more careful and avoid the driver pitfalls that kill too many, such as driving drunk, driving distracted and driving too fast.

"It's kind of like you say these things until you're blue in the face and you just hope people latch onto it," she said.

For the full incident roundup, visit the Connecticut State Police's website at this link.

See also:

4 Killed In CT Crash On Memorial Day: State Police

4 Killed In Wrong-Way I-95 Crash, IDs Released: State PD

1 Killed In 2-Vehicle Crash On I-95, ID Released: State PD

Police Search For Missing Boater In Lake

Motorcyclist Killed In Crash: Report

Body Found In CT River Monday: Police

Person Found Dead After Swimming In Pond In CT: Report

Franklin Double Fatal Crash Adds To Holiday Weekend Death Toll

For roundups on all Connecticut State Police news items, visit this link.