DUI Manslaughter Charge for Southbury Woman Who Killed Cyclist: PD

NEW HAVEN, CT — A Southbury woman was charged with manslaughter and other criminal charges after she fled the scene of a fatal crash Sunday, police said.

Police responded to a hit-and-run involving a bicyclist on the 500 block of Ella T Grasso Boulevard, said Officer David Hartman, New Haven police spokesman. The man, identified as Ranko Borak of New Haven was thrown over an adjacent guard rail after being struck by a vehicle. He succumbed to his injuries.

Two witnesses described a light colored or silver Ford Taurus fleeing the scene. One witness managed to take photos of the vehicle and followed it until he became stuck in traffic, Hartman said.

Minutes later a motorist called police to report a vehicle nearly struck his on I-91 near exit 3. The vehicle was a similar description and had a damaged windshield, Hartman said.

Police fanned out and the vehicle was stopped.

"Officer O'Dino Rasile had the car’s driver and who he thought was her passenger. The driver, Veronica C Pierce, 43,, of Southbury, CT said she was alone in the car and hadn’t been involved in any crash – this before a crash was mentioned," Hartman said.

Hartman continued, "The male with Pierce hadn’t been in the car when Officer Rasile pulled up. He lives on Bradley Street and said he’d stepped into the roadway to let the driver know she was traveling the wrong way down the one way street."

Pierce's BAC was tested and came back with a result of .2062, more than double the legal limit, Hartman said.

She was charged with second-degree manslaughter with a motor vehicle while intoxicated, felony evading responsibility, DUI, operating with a suspended license and driving the wrong way on a one way street.

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