Update: Hartford Man and SCSU Student/Hamden Resident Killed in I-95 Crash

By Rich Scinto (Patch Staff) and Alfred Branch (Patch Staff)

New York State Police said the two victims who died in Monday’s fatal accident on I-95 in Rye were from Hamden, Conn. and Hartford, Conn., reports The Journal News.

Kayla Anne Donnelly-Smith, of Hamden, and Winter Krzysztof, 61, of Hartford were killed in the crash, according to the New Haven Register.

Donnelly-Smith was a student at Southern Connecticut State University.

“Our hearts go out to Southern student Kayla Donnelly-Smith’s family and friends....such a terrible loss. Thoughts & prayers are with you,” the university tweeted Tuesday.

The accident occurred at about 1:14 p.m. on Monday northbound between exits 21 and 22. A two-vehicle accident had occurred involving Donnelly-Smith and Krzysztof, and a third vehicle, driven by 46-year-old Flushing, NY resident Tai L. Zhao, crashed into those vehicles and the operators who were standing outside of their vehicles.

Both were killed instantly, police said. Zhao had lost control of his vehicle and has not been charged, but the accident is still under investigation.

Image via SCSU Cheerleading Facebook page

Below is the latest notice from New York State Police concerning the accident:

On Monday, February 2, 2015 at approximately 1:14 p.m., State Police responded to a minor property damage accident involving two passenger vehicles on Interstate 95 northbound in the vicinity of Exit 22.
When State Police arrived on scene, both motorists from the accident were standing outside of their vehicles, off of the roadway. At that time an uninvolved vehicle, also traveling northbound and driven by Tai L. Zhao, 46, of Flushing, NY, lost control and struck both vehicles from the original accident, as well as the drivers of those vehicles, killing them instantly.
Zhao’s vehicle then continued back into traffic where it struck a commercial bus. The bus then sideswiped another northbound vehicle causing minor damage.
Zhao was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries.
The names of the victims are not being released at this time pending notification.
No other injuries were reported. The cause of the accident is currently under investigation.

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