Woman Killed In Tractor-Trailer/SUV Crash In Hartford: UPDATE

HARTFORD, CT — The serious, two-vehicle accident involving a tractor-trailer in Hartford Tuesday has now claimed the life of a Massachusetts woman, Connecticut State Police said.

According to police Tuesday afternoon, the woman has been identified as Paula Garcia, 53, of West Greet Street, Easthampton, Mass.

Garcia was a passenger in a 2016 Nissan RGE sport utility vehicle that was struck by a tractor-trailer on Interstate 91 North in Hartford at about 2:40 a.m. Tuesday, according to the police accident report released Tuesday afternoon.

Police said the collision happened at Exit 29A, with both I-91 and nearby Route 15 closed for much of the morning as responders and clean-up crews tended to the scene.

According to the accident report, a 2024 Cascadia Freightliner tractor-trailer, being driven by a 31-year-old North Miami, Fla., man was traveling on I-91 North just south of the Exit 29A off-ramp in the right, center lane of five.

Meanwhile, the Nissan — being driven by a 45-year-old Albany, N.Y., man — was traveling in the right, center lane of five lanes, directly in front of the tractor-trailer, police said.

"For an unknown reason," the Nissan rapidly decelerated and the tractor-trailer slammed into the rear of the Nissan, police said.

The tractor-trailer driver was able to pull over into the right lane while the Nissan came to an "uncontrolled rest" in the right lane, according to the accident report.

Police said both the driver of the truck and the SUV were unharmed and declined any medical treatment.

Garcia, who was a right rear passenger in the Nissan, was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

Both vehicles were towed with "disabling damage."

The crash is still under investigation and anyone with information or dashcam footage, is asked to contact Trooper Michael Deane of Troop H in Hartford at 860-534-1098 or michael.dean@ct.gov.