Arrest Made in Double Pedestrian Fatal Crash In Hartford

HARTFORD, CT — A 24-year-old man has been charged with two counts of second-degree manslaughter in connection with a Jan. 16 motor vehicle crash which killed two female pedestrians.

Nathaniel Jefferson turned himself in at Hartford police headquarters Monday, and was charged with two counts of evading responsibility with death, reckless driving, traveling too fast for conditions, failure to drive in proper lane and operating with a suspended license, in addition to the two manslaughter counts. He is being held on a $1 million judge-set bond.

Around 9:53 p.m. on Jan. 16, Hartford police officers were dispatched to 95 Vine Street on a report of pedestrians struck by a motor vehicle. Responding officers located two women suffering from serious injuries at the scene. The victims were transported by ambulance to Saint Francis Hospital for treatment.

Tina Fontanez, 24, succumbed to her injuries about a half-hour following the incident, while Catalina Melendez, 23, died at St. Francis Hospital a week later, Deputy Police Chief Brian Foley said.

Investigation revealed the suspect vehicle had been traveling north on Vine Street. The two pedestrians, who had just exited a cab, were in the travel lanes of Vine Street when they were struck. The vehicle fled the scene and was recovered near the intersection of Bethel and Guilford streets, Foley said.

Further investigation, including analysis of video footage obtained by the Hartford Police Department Capital City Command Center (C4), enabled detectives to develop Jefferson as the operator of the vehicle. He was located and interviewed by Crime Scene Division detectives, and admitted to being the operator of the vehicle at the time that it struck Fontanez and Melendez. He also admitted to leaving the scene of the crash, Foley said.

On Friday, Jan. 26, an arrest warrant was issued for Jefferson. He turned himself in at the Hartford Police Department Monday morning.

Photo courtesy of Hartford Police Department