Passenger Ejected From Moving Car, DUI Driver Arrested: East Haven PD

EAST HAVEN, CT — A passenger who was "partially seated outside the vehicle window" shortly before the vehicle crashed was seriously injured on Monday in East Haven, and the driver was arrested and charged with operating under the influence of alcohol, according to police.

The driver, identified as Alexander Duarte, 22, of New Haven, was also charged with failure to drive in a proper lane, East Haven Police said.

East Haven 911 dispatch received reports of a single-car crash with an ejected front seat passenger in the area of 400 Bradley Street at approximately 3:08 p.m. on May 26, police said.

Responding officers found a man lying in the roadway, and lifesaving measures were administered by East Haven Fire Department personnel, police said, noting a black 2013 Cadillac CTS with visible front-end damage and a flat tire was stopped in the road nearby.

Duarte was "exhibiting signs of impairment. He later failed a series of field sobriety tests and was taken into custody," according to police.

An initial investigation found that the front seat passenger had been partially seated outside the vehicle window prior to being ejected while Duarte was traveling northwest on Bradley Street, police said.

Duarte told officers that he lost control of the vehicle, struck a curb and blew a tire just prior to the passenger being ejected, police said.

The passenger was taken to Yale New Haven Hospital with serious injuries, police said.

In an announcement Tuesday afternoon shortly after 2 p.m., East Haven Police said the passenger was listed in stable but critical condition; their identity is being withheld.

Due to the severity of the passenger’s injuries, the South-Central Connecticut Traffic Unit responded to the scene to assist with accident reconstruction.

Duarte was held on a $50,000.00 bond and is scheduled to appear in New Haven Superior Court on June 4, police said.

An investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be filed, police said.

"We are asking residents who live in the Bradley Street area to review their camera footage for any relevant video which would aid in our investigation," police added.

Those with more information can contact lead investigating officer Jimmy Nguyen at jnguyen@easthavenpolice.com.