Police identify pedestrian killed in hit-and-run at Washington & High Streets

From the Middletown Police Department:

Press Release: Car vs. Pedestrian
On Wednesday, March 04, 2020, just after 9pm a dark-colored vehicle traveling west bound on Route 66/Washington Street at the intersection of High Street struck a pedestrian crossing the road. The vehicle fled the scene continuing westbound on Route 66 possibly headed down West Street.

The pedestrian succumbed to her injuries.  The victim has been identified as Brooke Rich age 41 from Middletown, CT.  The Middletown Police Department would like to send our condolences to Brooke’s family and friends.

We do have a vehicle of interest that we believe was involved in the hit and run.

Witnesses at the scene say there was a second vehicle that made contact with the victim after the initial impact.  We are looking for that vehicle and operator. The operator may be able to provide more information regarding the accident.

Anyone with any information can call Officer Peter Botsacos, of the Traffic Unit at 860-638-4061

Accident Shuts Down Country Club Road

There were no apparent major injuries following a dramatic single vehicle accident on Country Club Road at 7:15 this morning. A mini-van driving west left the roadway at the curve just east of Smith Park, broke through two large cedar trees and a telephone pole, then rolled over and came to a halt on its side in the westbound lane. Country Club Road was shut down for over an hour while the accident was being cleared.

The Westfield Fire Department, Middletown Police, and Middlesex Hospital responded to the scene. The firemen cut through the roof of the vehicle with a saws-all to extract the driver. She did not appear to have any serious injuries, moving her arms and speaking to the rescuers.

UPDATE (1:30PM): Officer David Godwin of the Police Traffic Department told me her injuries were minor.

The road was dry when the accident occurred, and there was no sign of skid marks in the road. It appears that the driver simply failed to negotiate the turn. Residents of the surrounding houses say that there is a significant accident at least once a year on this curve. Some have called upon the city to regrade the road to make it safer.

Others point to the excessive speed at which many cars travel on Country Club Road. Joyce Powzyk said that while waiting at the school bus stop, she observes cars travel far faster than the posted 25 mph speed limit, "I would conservatively estimate that most cars and trucks are going 20 miles an hour above the speed limit, even as they come around the curve in the road."

Wesleyan Commencement/Reunion Celebration Marred By Auto Accident

According to Middletown Police, Wesleyan juniors Colin Campbell, 20 of Darien, CT and Daniel O'Brien, of Amhearst NH, were injured and transported to Hartford Hospital after a Chevrolet Blazer driven by Campbell traveled through the intersection of Washington Terrace and High Street, struck another vehicle and rolled through the wrought iron fence at the Russell House, just before 10 pm on Friday. The Blazer came to rest on its roof on the Russell House lawn.

The accident occured on the first night of Wesleyan's commencement and reunion celebration when foot and vehicular traffic around the campus is heavy.

The driver of the other vehicle, a Toyota Corolla, Darren Boibeaux, 41 of Bristol CT was unhurt.

The extent of the injuries to Campbell and O'Brien was unknown at the time of this posting.

UPDATE: The students were treated at the hospital and released.

Car accident at Broad and College

A car traveling down College apparently failed to stop, or did not see a car moving through the intersection on Broad. Witnesses stated that the red car on the right did not stop. The police reported that the driver of that car did not have a drivers' license. The car that was hit was traveling south on Broad when it was hit while in the intersection, on the back right side of the car. It must have been hit pretty hard, as it spun around, about 3/4 of a circle. It stopped short of where you see it in the photo, by the time the photo was taken the car was moved, a few feet to make way for traffic to pass. The red vehicle had two young passengers. The one in the front seat was taken to the hospital in the ambulance. There did not appear to be concern for broken bones, and no one was bleeding, but that is not to say no one was hurt. The tan car was driven by a young women on her way to the beach with a friend. She reported she was fine, but was taken to the hospital as precaution. The driver of the red car was not hurt. This reporter was at the intersection at the time of the accident but was looking in another direction, and only heard the crash. The guy in the red car, jumped out of the car after the accident, and was verbally abusive, and threatening to the driver in the tan car. Many witness where at the scene and stayed to to give testimony to the police. It was tense for a few moments waiting for the police to arrive, as the guy without the license did not calm down at all, until the first on the scene, fireman arrived, and insisted that the guy stop yelling and calm down. The photos where taken after the police arrived, not knowing what might further uncork the drives temper. The accident happened sometime shortly tafter 11:00 am.