87-Year-Old Man Faces Charge 11 Months After Serious Darien Crash

DARIEN, CT — An 87-year-old Stamford man is facing a vehicular charge in connection with a September 2017 crash in which the Mercedes-Benz he was driving collided with a motorcycle on Mansfield Avenue in Darien. The crash seriously injured the bike's operator, a 56-year-old Ridgefield man, according to an extensive Darien police report obtained by Patch.

Though the crash occurred on Sept. 27, information about it was not released by Darien police until recently, though Patch - acting on a tip - repeatedly requested details of the incident over several months.

According to police, at about 6:15 p.m. on Sept. 27, Salvatore "Sam" Cingari Jr. was making a left turn from Mansfield into the Country Club of Darien when his vehicle was struck by a Harley-Davidson motorcycle operated by Michael Karl. Karl had just left work at H&L Chevrolet on the Post Road in Darien, wrote police in the department's report.

Cingari was not injured in the crash, but Karl suffered serious injuries, including a busted knee and leg, broken nose, broken ribs and a host of other painful injuries, according to police. He was hospitalized for a while following the crash.

The motorcycle was basically totaled and the Mercedes was damaged on the passenger side and windshield, and at the time, the crash temporarily closed a portion of Mansfield Avenue, backing up traffic for several blocks. (See the above contributed photo)

Darien police conducted an exhaustive investigation into the crash, and in December issued Cingari a summons for failure to yield while turning left. His case in Stamford Superior Court is still pending. Karl was not charged.

When asked for comment, Cingari's attorney, Eugene Riccio, emailed Patch this reply, "I do not wish to comment due to the fact that this is a pending case."

According to the State of Connecticut Judicial Branch website, Cingari's charge was making an improper turn/stop with no signal, and the case is awaiting a plea. It has been continued to Aug. 15 in Stamford Superior Court.

Contributed photo of the Darien crash scene from September 27, 2017

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