Wrong-way crash in Stratford, Connecticut kills 4 people
STRATFORD, Connecticut (WABC) -- A fiery wrong-way crash resulted in the deaths of four people in Connecticut on Thursday.
It happened in the early morning hours, before 2 a.m., between exits 52 and 53 on the Merrit Parkway in Stratford.
Police said a driver in a Honda CRV was going northbound in the southbound lanes and slammed into a minivan which burst into flames.
The unidentified wrong-way driver was killed, along with all three occupants in the minivan, 65-year old Steven Rowland, 81-year old Olga Vitale and 80-year-old Thomas Vitale, all from Easton.
A state trooper responding to the scene was hurt in a separate accident. His injuries are not serious.
State police had to close those southbound lanes for about seven hours.
An investigation into the deadly crash is underway.
Stratford Mayor Laura Hoydick released a statement on the crash saying, "I was saddened to learn about the accident that occurred on the Merritt overnight, and send my condolences to the families of those who perished. I would like to thank our state police and Stratford's public safety team for assisting them in their efforts."
Easton's state representative got choked up because the crash hits close to home.
Last year, her colleague representative Quentin Williams was killed in a head-on collision involving a drunk driver.
The legislature has approved over $20 million for improved signage, lighting and other measures to cut down on wrong-way crashes.
In 2022, 23 people died in such accidents.
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