Two main interstate highways have been reopened after separate crashes involving wrong-way drivers resulted in six deaths shortly earlier than 3 a.m., in line with Connecticut State Police.
Interstate 91 northbound was closed between Exits 18 and 20 in Meriden, whereas Interstate 84 eastbound was closed between Exits 49 and 50 in Hartford. The two highways closed earlier than 3 a.m. Saturday, in line with the state Department of Transportation.
The scenes had been cleared and the highways reopened round 8:50 a.m., state police mentioned.
The first crash befell round 2:25 a.m. State police had been referred to as a couple of wrong-way driver on I-91 close to Exit 18 in Meriden, Trooper First Class Pedro Muñiz mentioned in an electronic mail assertion. Moments later, troopers acquired studies that the car collided with one other car, Muñiz mentioned.
The collision resulted in two fatalities, in line with Muñiz.
Those two girls had been recognized by state police simply earlier than 7:30 p.m. Saturday. They are Charde Monet Spates, 21, of New Haven, and Judith Melvin-Levy, 49, of Windsor. Both had been pronounced useless on the scene by EMS.
The wrong-way car was a 2020 Toyota Camry pushed by Spates, in line with the accident report.
She was touring southbound in the left of three lanes on I-91 northbound between exits 17 and 18 when she collided head on with one other car.
The different car was a 2012 BMW X5 pushed by Melvin-Levy.
Justin Levy, a 21-year-old passenger in that car was transported by Hunter’s Ambulance to Hartford Hospital with “non-life threatening injuries,” in line with the accident report.
Police are nonetheless investigating this incident. Any witnesses to the collision are requested to contact Connecticut State Police Troop I at 203-393-4200 or david.pelletier2@ct.gov.
About quarter-hour after that incident occurred, round 2:45 a.m., troopers acquired studies of a crash on I-84 East close to Exit 51 in Hartford, Muñiz mentioned.
This crash additionally concerned a wrong-way driver and resulted in 4 fatalities, in line with Muñiz.
State police’s Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Squad, in addition to the Department of Transportation, had been on each scenes investigating and helping with the highway closures respectively. Local hearth departments had been additionally referred to as to help, Muñiz mentioned.
State police mentioned there was no additional data and it’ll launch data because it turns into out there.
Connecticut State Police Sgt. Dawn Pagan mentioned wrong-way drivers usually are not a problem distinctive to the state.
“It is a battle that is faced nationwide and unfortunately is not something new,” Pagan mentioned.
Wrong-way crashes induced about 500 deaths a yr nationwide between 2015 and 2018, in line with a research from AAA revealed in March 2021.
Fatal wrong-way crashes have elevated throughout highways throughout the nation in current years. However, from 2015 to 2018, Connecticut noticed a decline, in line with an AAA evaluation utilizing knowledge from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System.
Between 2010 to 2014, the state had 29 deadly wrong-way crashes, and 20 wrong-way crashes from 2015 to 2018, the evaluation said.
When police obtain studies of wrong-way drivers, state police reply “swiftly as we fully recognize the imminent danger involved,” Pagan continued.
AAA’s research discovered three elements as prime causes of fatalities in wrong-way crashes — alcohol impairment, superior age and driving and not using a passenger.
Pagan mentioned that impaired driving shouldn’t be the one issue that might result in wrong-way drivers. It may also contain these “experiencing mental crisis, disoriented drivers who may be experiencing the effects of illness, and even severe weather conditions that can limit visibility,” Pagan mentioned.
Wrong-way drivers are sometimes recognized by troopers on patrol in addition to via public studies.
(*2*) Pagan mentioned.
Drivers must also pull over and name 911 in the event that they fall sick whereas on the highway, keep away from touring in extreme climate situations and have a delegated driver or use a rideshare service when wanted. People may also assist their family members handle their psychological and bodily well being, in addition to decide whether it is applicable for his or her beloved one to maintain their driver’s license, Pagan mentioned.