Avon Man Charged With Fleeing Farmington Crash While Drunk: Police

FARMINGTON/AVON, CT — An Avon man has been charged with drunk driving and leaving the scene of a crash after police said he fled a three-vehicle accident Sunday off Interstate 84 in Farmington.

Connecticut State Police Tuesday morning announced Jeffrey Gostyla, 54, of Sturbridge Lane, Avon, was charged with evading responsibility of injury/property damage; illegal operation of a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol/drugs (second offense); and following too closely.

Gostyla, police said, was released on $1,500 bond and will appear in Hartford Superior Court March 6.

According to police, officers were dispatched to I-84's Exit 39 offramp at about 6:02 p.m. Sunday for a reported traffic accident.

When they arrived, police said, troopers saw two motor vehicles blocking the right center lanes of traffic after a multi-vehicle accident.

According to the accident report, the third vehicle being driven by the suspect, a 2018 BMW X5, plowed into a vehicle stopped at the end of the ramp from behind, pushing the middle vehicle into another one in front of them. No injuries were reported.

During their investigation, police said they learned the third vehicle had fled the scene and notified dispatch at Troop H in Hartford, according to the arrest report.

Shortly thereafter, Farmington police spotted the fleeing vehicle in town and attempted to make a traffic stop, but the driver ignored the lights and sirens and drove to his residence in Avon, according to police.

Police said the suspect ran inside his residence, where he was detained by arriving state troopers.

Accoding to the arrest report, Gostyla was observed with "bloodshot and glossy eyes," was "disoriented" and had "the smell of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his breath."

Police said Gostyla refused to take a field sobriety test and was taken into custody shortly thereafter.

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