Crime & Safety
Motorist Who Killed Southington Trooper Pleads Guilty: Reports
The Hartford man was driving on Interstate 84 in Southington when he struck and killed State Trooper Aaron Pelletier of Southington.
NEW BRITAIN/SOUTHINGTON, CT — The Hartford motorist responsible for the line-of-duty death of a beloved state trooper from Southington last May has pleaded guilty in court.
According to WFSB Channel 3, Alex Oyola-Sanchez, 44, of Hartford, pleaded guilty in New Britain Superior Court on Tuesday as part of a plea bargain.
Facing multiple charges in connection with the May 30, 2024 crash, Oyola-Sanchez pleaded guilty to a single charge of first-degree manslaughter, according to WFSB.
Find out what's happening in Southingtonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Oyola-Sanchez was traveling on Interstate 84 in Southington when he struck and killed State Trooper Aaron Pelletier, a lifelong Southington resident and well-known member of the community.
Pelletier was on the shoulder conducting a traffic stop with another motorist when he was fatally hit. He was 34, leaving behind a wife and two young sons.
Find out what's happening in Southingtonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Oyola-Sanchez, of Zion Street in Hartford, was initially charged with failure to renew registration; illegal operation of a motor vehicle without minimum insurance; evading responsibility of a crash causing death; illegal operation of a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol/drugs; failure to drive in the proper lane; second-degree manslaughter with a motor vehicle; failure to move over; and illegal operation of a motor vehicle without a driver's license.
WVIT Channel 30 reports Oyola-Sanchez's plea deal is for just first-degree manslaughter, and it will put him behind bars for 18 years.
Pelletier's widow, Dominique Pelletier, was in court Tuesday, wearing the same dress she wore during her late husband's funeral in June 2024, WVIT reported.
Dominique Pelletier spoke out against the plea deal in court, saying a full, 30-year prison term is what Oyola-Sanchez deserved, WVIT reported.
According to online court records, Oyola-Sanchez was scheduled to have a pre-trial hearing on Tuesday, but his plea bargain, essentially, ended prosecutorial court proceedings.
He has been held on $1.5 million bond since his arrest last May, in which his bond was, initially, $5 million.
Both WVIT and WFSB are reporting that formal sentencing for Oyola-Sanchez will take place in April.
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