Manchester Man Charged In Fatal Simsbury Accident: Police

SIMSBURY, CT — A Manchester man has been charged with vehicular homicide in connection with a fatal collision in Simsbury last August that claimed the life of a Granby motorcyclist.

According to the Simsbury Police Department, Melvin Pineda, 43, of West Center Street, Manchester, was charged with negligent homicide with a motor vehicle and failure to drive in the proper lane at 9:27 p.m. Jan. 24.

Pineda was taken into custody on $125,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in Hartford Superior Court on Feb. 19.

On Aug. 13, 2024, police said Pineda was driving a pickup truck that collided with a motorcyclist on Route 189 in Simsbury, with the motorcycle rider being killed in the accident.

James Ferreira, 61, of Granby was killed when the 2016 Yamaha motorcycle he was riding collided with a Ford F350 pickup being driven by Pineda, the SPD said at the time.

According to the SPD, the department received several 911 calls at about 6:04 a.m. that Tuesday regarding a motor vehicle crash on Hartford Avenue (Route 189) and its intersection with Main Street in the Tariffville section of town.

Callers reported a two-vehicle accident involving a motorcycle, police said.

The SPD said responders immediately began treating Ferreira at the scene and he was then taken to St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, where he was pronounced dead.

From Aug. 15, 2024: 'Granby Man ID'd As Victim In Fatal Simsbury Motorcycle Crash'