Pedestrian Struck, Killed in Windsor Locks; Woman Charged

WINDSOR LOCKS, CT — A Windsor Locks man was struck and killed by a vehicle on Old County Road just after midnight Thursday, and the driver has been charged with operating under the influence.

At 12:04 a.m., Windsor Locks police received a 911 call reporting a vehicle vs. pedestrian collision on Old County Road, just south of Halfway House Road. Officers arrived and found Francis Franco, 65, laying in the roadway suffering from a head injury. The driver and lone occupant of the vehicle, Ladonna Davis, 37, of Windsor Locks, was comforting Franco, Lt. Paul Cherniack said.

Franco was alive but unresponsive, and was transported to St. Francis Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries, Cherniack said.

Based on the facts and circumstances obtained during the initial investigation, Davis was given a field sobriety test, which she did not perform to standard. She was then placed under arrest and transported to police headquarters, where she was given two breath tests which indicated her blood alcohol content was above the legal limit, Cherniack said.

With the outcome of Franco's injuries unknown, Davis was initially charged with driving under the influence. His death will now be factored into the investigation and the possibility of additional charges, Cherniack said.

Due to the serious nature of the accident, the North Central Municipal Accident Reconstruction Squad responded and assumed responsibility for the investigation, which is ongoing.

Photo courtesy of Windsor Locks Police Department

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