Two women were killed in a wrong-way collision on I-84 in Manchester, Connecticut, early Saturday morning. The driver and passenger of a vehicle traveling in the wrong direction collided head-on with a tandem tractor-trailer unit, resulting in their deaths. The driver of the tractor-trailer was uninjured, while the driver of a third vehicle involved suffered minor injuries. The highway was closed for several hours but has since reopened, and witnesses are urged to contact Connecticut State Police with any information.
A Middlefield man, Scott Kracke, was shot and killed in a road-rage incident on Interstate 691 in Meriden, Connecticut. The shooting occurred during an active disturbance on the highway, and Kracke was pronounced dead after being taken to a local hospital. The incident led to the closure of the highway for investigation.
A K9 named Broko died after being shot during an officer-involved shooting in Stonington, Connecticut. The shooting occurred while troopers were attempting to serve a felony arrest warrant and a search warrant. K9 Broko, who graduated from the Connecticut State Police Patrol K9 Class in January 2021, was described as a well-respected member of the search and rescue team. The incident is under investigation by the Connecticut Office of the Inspector General.
A woman was killed in New Hartford, Connecticut, after a violent struggle and shooting. Connecticut State Police responded to a 911 call reporting an active disturbance and found the woman with a gunshot wound. Efrain Vazquez, a 50-year-old man, was detained after initially refusing to leave the home. Police discovered signs of a violent struggle inside the home and arrested Vazquez on charges including murder. He is being held on a $3 million bond.
Connecticut state police are investigating a fatal crash on I-84 in East Hartford, where a wrong-way driver collided with a concrete barrier before being struck by another vehicle. The driver of the wrong-way vehicle, identified as 29-year-old Westley Clemente-fuentes, was standing in the left lane when he was hit and later succumbed to his injuries. The driver of the second vehicle, 21-year-old Ileaha Porter, was found to be impaired and has been charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence. The highway has since reopened, and police are seeking any additional information or video footage related to the incident.
A motorcycle crash on Interstate 84 Westbound in Farmington, Connecticut, resulted in fatal injuries. The crash occurred around 6 p.m. and led to the closure of the highway between Exits 37 and 36 for several hours. The Connecticut State Police, along with the C.A.R.S. Unit and the Connecticut Department of Transportation, are investigating the collision.
A 21-year-old man from Hartford, Bonifilio Ortiz Perez, was arrested by Connecticut State Police for driving the wrong way while under the influence of alcohol on Interstate 384 in Manchester. Troopers observed Perez driving westbound in the eastbound lanes and were able to safely stop him. He failed a field sobriety test and now faces multiple charges, including operating under the influence and reckless endangerment. His bond has been set at $10,000.
Authorities are investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred in West Hartford, Connecticut. The shooting took place near the intersection of South Street and New Britain Avenue, and two cars were damaged. The Connecticut State Police and the Office of the Inspector General are leading the investigation, and there is no threat to the public at this time. No further details have been released.
A man was killed and a woman was seriously injured when a motorcycle crashed into the back of a vehicle on Interstate 91 in Wallingford, Connecticut. The driver of the vehicle was unharmed. Connecticut State Police are investigating the incident and asking for witnesses to come forward.
A Connecticut State Police trooper, Chris Melanson, has been suspended indefinitely after submitting 1000 false tickets where he listed drivers as "Native American" when they were not. This comes after an audit revealed that numerous troopers had falsified tens of thousands of traffic tickets. Governor Ned Lamont plans to hire an outside firm for an independent investigation, and federal authorities are also looking into possible criminal prosecution of both troopers and supervisors involved. State lawmakers will hold a hearing to address the issue, and some troopers may face criminal charges that could impact their pensions and careers in law enforcement.
A 17-year-old girl named Sophie Ringquist from Burlington, Connecticut, died after falling out of a moving pickup truck driven by an 18-year-old man from Harwinton. The incident occurred on Fieldview Drive, near Polly Dan Road, and the cause of her death was blunt impact injuries to her torso. No charges have been filed, and the Connecticut State Police are asking anyone with information to come forward.
Michael Wiggins, 67, of Waterbury, was arrested on drunk driving charges after driving the wrong way on Route 8 in Torrington, Connecticut. State police received 911 calls about a driver who was headed south on Route 8 northbound. Troopers found a vehicle that matched the description provided by the caller on Route 8 southbound and initiated a motor vehicle stop. Wiggins exhibited signs of possible impairment and agreed to participate in standardized field sobriety tests, which were not performed to standard.
Michael Barnett, a Wisconsin man, was charged with second-degree breach of peace, third-degree intimidation based on bigotry or bias, and second-degree threatening after yelling a racial slur at a Bradley International Airport sandwich shop employee who offered to make his sandwich as a wrap when the store ran out of bread. Barnett was taken into custody without incident and released on a $2,500 cash surety bond. The Connecticut State Police hate crimes unit was notified.
Connecticut State Police are assisting Homeland Security in an ongoing investigation at Electric Blue Cafe, an adult club in Tolland. The surrounding businesses are open and the area is safe. Homeland Security has not provided further comment at this time.
