Arrest Made in 2017 Fatal Crash in Enfield

ENFIELD, CT — A New London resident was arrested Monday on a warrant charging him with negligent homicide with a motor vehicle in connection with a fatal crash on Elm Street that claimed the life of an elderly motorist in August 2017.

Nicholas Valaziotis, 31, was also charged with speeding in connection with the crash, and with third-degree forgery, sixth-degree larceny, first-degree failure to appear and second-degree failure to appear on unrelated preexisting warrants, Sgt. Matt Meier said.

According to an accident reconstruction report, shortly after noon on Aug. 11, 2017, Valaziotis was traveling westbound on elm Street near the Five Guys Burgers restaurant when he struck a vehicle turning out of St. Thomas Street. The operator of that vehicle, Richard McLaughlin, 84, subsequently died of his injuries 11 days later.

Enfield police traveled to Bloomfield, where Valaziotis was being held on an unrelated first-degree larceny charge following his release from a hospital following the crash. He granted permission to examine his crash data recorder, which indicated he was traveling 58.6 miles per hour just five seconds before the crash, and 43.3 miles per hour at the time of impact. The speed limit in that zone is 30, Meier said.

The report indicated that had Valaziotis been traveling the speed limit, McLaughlin's vehicle would have cleared the double lines into the eastbound side of Elm Street.

Valaziotis turned himself in at Enfield police headquarters Monday, and was released after posting $82,000 bond. He is slated to appear in Enfield Superior Court April 17.

Photo courtesy of Enfield Police Department