Resident Struck by Car on Greenwood Ave. at Downtown Tree Lighting

A Bethel resident was struck by a car on Greenwood Avenue Friday evening just before the downtown tree lighting, in front of the Gift Cottage.

There are no details as to who the driver was or what caused the accident. There are conflicting stories as to the details so Bethel Patch will not post “heresay.” We will update this article after we receive the police report from the Bethel Police Department.

Here is the message Mr. Craybas posted on The Bethel, CT Forum on Facebook:

“I have a lot of wonderful, compassionate, loving people to thank following my unfortunate entanglement with a car last evening at the end of the horse drawn carriage rides and just before Santa’s arrival and the lighting of Bethel’s Christmas Tree. I’ll start with my loving family who I upset very much.

So, to my beautiful wife, Joan, the love of my life, I’m sorry for causing you fear and anxiety on such a beautiful day; you have always been by my side and you were there again last evening. Fathers and daughters have a special bond as I have had and will always have with my Terri.

Among all the people yelling for me to look out for the car approaching, including my oldest son, Bob, our staunch family member who gives freely of himself to his brothers and especially his sister, I know you were yelling from the ladder you were on trying to get the Christmas lights finished on the Gift Cottage. I heard you too but it was Terri’s scream that I distinctly remember.

Our youngest son, Doug, knelt over me, lovingly asking when I was going to learn, I guess as I had often said to him and his brothers when they were younger.

And to all the bystanders that witnessed what happened and yelled out for me to get out of the way of the car, thank you for caring and for being part of the community that shares its love and concern for its neighbors and strangers alike. You all saved me from serious harm and I wish I could tell you each individually how much I appreciate your concern.

The phone calls and the e-mails I’ve received and especially your comments on Facebook were touching. Last night proved to me and others what a special place Bethel truly is. So thank you from the bottom of my heart for acting to keep me safe.

Next on my list are thanks to the first responders who we never really get to appreciate until you see them in action or need their professional help. So, to the EMT’s, especially Gordon, the Bethel Police Officers, the Fire Department volunteers and the trauma staff in the Danbury Hospital ER, thank you for the professional wonders you work. I had no doubt the outcome for me was going to be positive. You all are a credit to the professions and organizations you belong to.

One person deserves special recognition for coming forward and keeping me calm and safe until the ambulance arrived; Maureen Sullivan Burke whose loving hands kept me from moving my head and neck until the collar was put in place by the EMT’s to keep my stable. Maureen came out of the crowd and leaped into action, and what she did for me was special and so very much appreciated.

Another woman, whose name I didn’t get came out too, offering her EMT experience. A special thanks to this “Florence Nightengale” who offered to help a stranger In need.

I awoke this morning sore but not as bad as I was expecting. I’m on the mend thanks to so many people, and I’ll be back at Board of Education work and getting our new Police Station approved on the Judd Avenue site come Monday morning. I hope I didn’t mess up Santa’s arrival and the tree lighting for the hundreds of people who participated in this Bethel Winterfest event at the culmination of a beautiful Thanksgiving weekend.

I apologize for the distraction I may have caused and promise to be more diligent and watchful as we celebrate Winterfest in the same place next year-- in the center of Bethel on the main street of our unique New England town, Bethel Connecticut. My thanks and love to all.”

From Larry Craybas

Bobbi Jo Beers, Executive Director of the Bethel Chamber of Commerce had this to say:

“”The Bethel Chamber of Commerce is relieved to hear that Mr. Craybas is doing well. We, of course, take the safety of Town/Chamber events very seriously and will use this as an opportunity to engage the police, area merchants and Chamber members in reviewing and improving public safety for all attendees in the future.”

Residents have posted comments on The Bethel, CT Forum on Facebook page that the tree lighting should be moved to the municipal center lawn. Other comments suggested that the road should be shut down at a downtown event when children are “darting back and forth” across the street.

Greenwood Ave., Route 302, is a state road and the Town of Bethel has to apply for a special permit in order to close the road. The accident location used to have a crosswalk nearby, which may have slowed the driver down, however the crosswalk is not likely to return.

Patch reported in Sept. 2014 that the crosswalk in front of Dr. Mike’s, adjacent to the Gift Cottage, was painted over and to date has not yet been repainted:

“Bethel Patch called the First Selectman to ask when the crossing would be repainted. Matt Knickerbocker responded via voice mail through his secretary, Wendy Smith:

“This is a state DOT problem, it’s a state road. The DOT has said this was not an authorized crosswalk and they don’t want it to be replaced, they won’t allow it. Our highway superintendent and one of the the police lieutenants are working with DOT to see if they’ll allow an exception.”

On April 16, 2014, Lt. Richard Dickinson said in a letter sent to the State Department of Transportation that he learned approval records were not in place for the crosswalks at 138 and 158 Greenwood Ave.”

The Gift Cottage is located at 154 Greenwood Ave. During Friday’s Winterfest activities, people were lining up in front of the store for horse-drawn carriage rides. Mr. Craybas was assisting people getting on and off the trailer that the horses were pulling.

When asked if the Greenwood Ave. will be closed to prevent future accidents Beers said she could not comment any further on the matter.

First Selectman Matthew Knickerbocker was out of town when the incident occurred but said:

“I will not make any statement until I speak with someone, perhaps the officer who will be writing up the incident report, and I know all the facts.”

Related:

• Bethel Downtown Crosswalk Gone, Not Likely to Return
• Click here for more info on safety effects of crosswalks, provided by the Federal Highway Administration.

Photo by Wendy Mitchell, Nov. 2014