Windsor Locks Woman Killed In Wrong-Way Crash On I-291

MANCHESTER, CT — A Windsor Locks resident was killed late Sunday night in a wrong-way crash on Interstate 291 involving a tractor-trailer, state police said.

South Windsor fire officials, who responded to the crash along with both Manchester departments, said the initial call came in at 11:45 p.m.

According to a state police crash report, a tractor trailer driven by a 31-year-old New Hampshire man was heading east on 291, just west of Exit 5, when it collided with a 2015 Toyota Tacoma that was heading the wrong way.

The tractor-trailer cab slammed into the concrete barrier bordering the left-hand lane and the trailers fishtailed to the right and blocked the highway, according to a crash report.

The driver of the tractor-trailer was able to climb out of the cab and was transported to Hartford Hospital with suspected minor injuries, according to a crash report and South Windsor fire officials.

The driver of the pickup truck, identified as 31-year-old Samantha Smith of Windsor Locks, was pronounced dead at the scene, state police said.

South Windsor fire officials said the tractor-trailer sustained "serious front end damage," and the pickup was "severely" damaged.

In addition to a large amount of debris across the highway, about 50 gallons of diesel fuel spilled from the tractor-trailer and the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection was called to the scene, fire officials said.

State police were still investigating the crash Monday morning and are asking anyone with information, particularly dash camera footage, to call them at 860-534-1098.