Officer Killed In Crash, 2nd Cop Gets DUI Death Resulting Charge

NEW HAVEN, CT —The New Haven Police Department is mourning the loss of an officer who passed away in an early morning motor vehicle crash in Las Vegas, police spokesperson Scott Shumway said. It was another New Haven police officer who was driving, impaired, Las Vegas police said, and he was arrested.

The officer who was killed was Joshua Castellano, a 7-year veteran of the department, currently assigned to the Shooting Task Force.

Castellano was a passenger of the vehicle along with two other New Haven police officers, John Truhart and Matthew Borges, and two women from San Antonio, Texas, according to the Las Vegas police report.

New Haven police officer Robert Ferraro, 34, was the driver. As of 8 p.m., Ferraro, who lives in East Haven, was in the Las Vegas jail, according to inmate records, originally held on $5,000 bail for driving under the influence with death resulting and reckless driving, after his Saturday court appearance, his bail was raised to $100,000. Still held in the Clark County Detention Center, Ferraro returns to court Tuesday.

Earlier Friday, Shumway said the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department had an ongoing criminal investigation.

Patch confirmed some details in a call to the LVMPD Friday afternoon, but by 7 p.m., EST, police there provided the investigation report:

"On September 17, 2021, at approximately 3:58 a.m., a vehicle versus vehicle collision occurred near the intersection of West Spring Mountain Road and South Decatur Boulevard. Evidence at the scene, witness statements, and surveillance video of the collision indicted a white 2020 Rolls-Royce Cullinan was traveling westbound on West Spring Mountain Road and entered the intersection with South Decatur Boulevard at a high rate of speed. The Rolls-Royce began to lose control west of the intersection. A 2021 white Ford Mustang was facing southbound in the private drive of 4970 West Spring Mountain, waiting to enter the roadway. The Rolls-Royce exited the roadway to the right, colliding with the Ford Mustang. The Rolls-Royce continued westbound on
West Spring Mountain Road and collided with roadside utility poles, landscaping, and a fire hydrant. The Rolls-Royce overturned onto its roof, ejected the right front passenger from the vehicle, and up righted itself before coming to rest. Debris from the collision collided with a 2014 Scion XB that was parked, unoccupied, at 5010 West Spring Mountain Road. Arriving medical personnel transported the passenger to University Medical Center’s Trauma Unit. Despite all life-saving measures, the male passenger succumbed to his injuries. The driver of the Rolls-Royce remained at the scene and showed signs of impairment. The driver was subsequently arrested for
applicable charges. The passenger’s death marks the 98th traffic-related fatality in the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s jurisdiction for the year 2021. The collision remains under investigation by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s Collision Investigation Section."

"At this time, we ask for support as our entire department is in shock and grieving," Shumway wrote. "Please respect Officer Castellano’s family’s privacy as we continue to navigate this very difficult time."

In 2015, Castellano was one of Class 1914 police academy graduates, as was Ferraro.

New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker shared his condolences in a statement.

“My thoughts and condolences are with the family of Officer Castellano as well as his friends and colleagues at the New Haven Police Department,” Elicker said.

“Officer Castellano served our community for seven years. We’re thankful for Officer Castellano’s service; he will be greatly missed.”

This is a breaking news story, please refresh this post for updates.