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Motor Vehicle Accident

• Man Sentenced in Connecticut Hit and Run Accident
  May 12, 2010

  Over two years have passed since Angel Arce Torres lost his life in a hit and run accident.  The victim, 78 at the time, was crossing Park Street in Harford when a car hit him and sped away.  The driver of the car was chasing after another vehicle when he hit Torres.

  Torres suffered serious injuries during the hit and run.  He was left paralyzed and was eventually taken off of life-support.  For his family, present at the sentencing, their loss cannot be measured.  They spoke of his involvement in the community and his devotion to his family.  The victims' only son, Angel Arce, is unhappy that the driver, Luis Negron, only received a 10 year sentence.

  "It's not going to bring my father back, but still it would send a message out there that the state of Connecticut is not going to tolerate this kind of behavior."

  Despite a widely disseminated surveillance video showing the accident, Negron was not immediately apprehended.  An anonymous tip a year after the accident finally led to his arrest.

  The attorneys at Glass, Lebovitz, Kasheta & Bren would like to offer our sincere condolences to the family of Mr.  Torres.  We hope that the conclusion of the trial brings you some sense of closure.   

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• Connecticut Looking to Decrease Auto Accidents Through New Laws
  Apr 28, 2010

  Though rare these days there are several proposed laws that are garnering bipartisan support in Connecticut.  The laws all center around one theme: Decreasing injuries and deaths on Connecticut's roads.

  Representative Antonio Guerrera, a Democrat from Rocky Hill, is co-chairman of the legislature's Transportation Committee.  Guerrera believes that the multiple traffic safety bills can and will be passed.

  "Most of them are ready to go.  Let's look at the big picture, these are public safety bills."

  According to Guerrera, the bill that would raise fines for cell-phone use while driving is drawing the most attention.  He believes that the law "has a good chance" of being passing this session.

  Sen. Toni Boucher of Wilton agrees.

  "I don't think it's a matter of if we will pass them, it's a matter of when we will pass them."

  The laws under consideration include:

  • A bill that will protect pedestrians and cyclist by imposing a $5000 fine and community service when "careless driving" results in serious injury.
  • A bill that would allow pictures and video to be used against a driver who passes a bug, ignoring the stop sign displayed on its side.
  • A bill that would allow police to impose a fine of $75 for drivers who fail to remove snow from their vehicle. If the snow or ice not removed from a vehicle causes and accident the driver could be fined up to $1,250.
  • The final bill increases the fines given to those who use their cell phones while driving. Currently drivers in Connecticut are given a waiver if they purchase a hands-free device after getting a ticket. The new law would impose a $100 ticket for first-time violators.

  The staff and attorneys Glass, Lebovitz, Kasheta & Bren hope that any laws passed by the legislature decrease the number of car accidents in Rocky Hill, Norwich and across Connecticut.

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• Connecticut Schools, Government, Weigh in on School Bus Seatbelt Use
  Apr 27, 2010

  Though a state mandate for seatbelt use on school buses has been proposed by State Rep. Antonio Guerrera of Rocky Hill, a local school district has decided not to require their buses to install seatbelts. 

  The issue of school bus safety was raised when a Rocky Hill teen lost his life during a serious bus accident.  The incident compelled safety experts and lawmakers to determine if mandatory seatbelt use on buses could improve student safety.

  A review by Torrington Public Schools has not found that mandatory seat belt use is necessary.  The argument against seatbelt use on buses relies on information about the "compartmentalization" of school bus seats.  This safety concept was adopted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration forty years ago.

  According to the NHTSA, compartmentalization works by creating a cushioned compartment where the force of the crash is absorbed and distributed by the seats in front of and behind a rider.  In theory this force is distributed across the entire body instead of just the head and neck.  The NHTSA has also stated that using compartmentalization instead of seatbelts on buses makes evacuation easier.

   Only time will tell if the Connecticut legislatures will pass a law requiring seatbelt use on buses.  As this issue progresses on the state and local level our staff and attorneys will keep you informed as to any new seatbelt laws or regulations that affect Central and Eastern Connecticut. 

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• Norwich Driver Injured in Head-on Car Accident
  Apr 20, 2010

  Police report that two vehicles collided on Route 156, causing serious injuries to both drivers and a passenger.  The drivers, from Colchester and Norwich, collided head-on, causing serious damage to the vehicles involved and sending three people to the hospital. 

  Both drivers were taken by Life Star helicopter to area hospitals.  The Norwich woman was listed in critical condition and the other was said to be in fair condition.  A passenger was taken to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

  The accident took place near 343 Hamburg Road (Route 156) and closed the road for more than three hours.  At the time of this report the police were still investigating the car accident and no charges had been filed.   

  A head-on collision is one of the more serious car accidents.  Injuries sustained in auto accidents can range from head and neck trauma to spinal cord damage and internal bleeding.

  The accident attorneys at Glass, Lebovitz, Kasheta & Bren hope that the injured parties recover fully and quickly from their injuries.

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• Accidents on I 365 and I 95 in Waterford, CT Cause Injury, Gas Leak
  Mar 25, 2010

  Two auto accidents caused damage to the vehicles involved and resulted in one minor injury.  Though a tanker truck avoided tipping over the impact caused the tank to rupture, leaking gas onto the highway.

  The first accident occurred on Route 32 at the entrance to I 395. The tanker jackknifed in the midst of evening rush hour traffic.  Though the driver prevented his truck from tipping over the accident did cause the tank to spring a leak.  The rupture caused diesel fuel to spill on the highway. 

  The Department of Environmental Protection was called out to assist the state police.  The fuel spill was cleaned up and the large truck cleared from the roadway.  Drivers were asked to detour around the scene, causing Old Norwich Road to become congested. 

  A second accident occurred not long after the first was cleaned up.  This accident happened when a car and a truck collided on Route 85 at the entrance to Interstate 95.  One woman complained of pain in her back, neck and legs.  She was taken to a local hospital.  She was the only person injured in the accident.

   Common injuries sustained during a car accident include whiplash, back injury and head trauma.

  The staff and attorneys of Connecticut's Glass, Lebovitz, Kasheta & Bren hope that the injured woman recovers fully and quickly from her injuries. 

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• Driver Arrested After Accident That Caused the Death of a Hartford Man
  Mar 22, 2010

  A Hartford man has been arrested on charges stemming from a deadly auto accident.  The driver, David Medina of Whitmore Street, was driving at over 100 mph when he slammed into another vehicle.  After crashing into the victims' Toyota Corolla Medina's vehicle flipped onto its roof.  Medina then crawled out of his car and fled the scene. 

  The accident took place at Park Street and Bartholomew Avenue in Hartford.

  The driver of the Toyota later died from injuries he sustained in the crash.  Medina has been charged with reckless driving, evading, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, first-degree murder and other charges. 

  Medina was served the arrest warrant the Superior Court in Harford.  His bail has been set at more than $800,000 and at the time of this report he remained in police custody.

  After fleeing the scene of the accident Medina broke into a nearby apartment.  A woman in the apartment told police that he stood in her home "in a daze". 

  The staff and attorneys at Glass, Lebovitz, Kasheta & Bren would like to extend our deepest condolences to the family of Marco Penaranda, the man who lost his life in the tragic accident.

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• Hartford Attorney Files Lawsuit on Behalf of CT Hit and Run Victim
  Mar 20, 2010

  A seven-year old girl was seriously injured when a car hit her and then drove away.  The driver, 18-year-old Leonita Scanlon, was driving down Dowd Avenue when she struck the little girl.  Directly after the accident the teen driver fled the scene.

  Scanlon turned herself in a month later, after a warrant for her arrest was issued.  Aside from police action the driver and the owner of the car involved are being sued for damages stemming from the crash.  A Hartford attorney has filed the lawsuit on behalf of the victims' mother. 

  The suit alleges that the driver was speeding, failed to grant right-of-way, failed to exercise due care, failed to give warning, failed to watch for pedestrians, failed to avoid the collision and failed to brake in time. 

  The car/pedestrian accident left the young girl with multiple serious injuries, some of which may cause permanent damage and possible disability.  She was treated at an area hospital for injuries including a fractured pelvis, broken ribs, broken arms and multiple skull fractures.    

  The Hartford law firm is seeking damages in excess of $15,000.  Damages will cover medical bills and ongoing medical treatments, pain and suffering. 

   

  The staff and attorneys at Glass, Lebovitz, Kasheta & Bren hope that the injured child is recovering quickly and fully from her injuries.

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• Children Injured in Hartford Bus Accident
  Feb 27, 2010

  An afterschool bus accident injured nine children in Hartford, CT.  The bus was driving too close to an SUV in front of it and rear ended the vehicle at an intersection.  At the time of the accident the bus driver, Linda Torres, was taking the students home from an after-school program at Global Communications Academy.  The principal of the school and several parents were at the scene of the accident. 

  The accident occurred at the intersection of Weston and Jennings Road in Hartford.  Police and emergency medical services responded to the accident and worked to treat and access the condition of the children.  21 students, ages 6 through 14 were on the bus and nine were taken to Connecticut Children's Medical Center by ambulance.  All of the injured students were treated and released the same day.    

  At the time of this report the condition of the occupants of the SUV were not available.

  The bus driver, Linda Torres, was unharmed in the accident.  Police issued her a ticket for tailgating.

  Unfortunately bus accidents have been a regular occurrence in Connecticut recently.   

  The staff and attorneys at Glass, Lebovitz, Kasheta & Bren hope that all of the injured students heal quickly and recover fully from their injuries.

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• Tolland County Bus Driver Arrested for Multiple Accidents and DUI
  Feb 24, 2010

  A Tolland County bus driver was arrested after causing two accidents in one day.  The first accident occurred at about 12:30 p.m.  The driver, Dina Johnsen of Vernon, was traveling on North River Road in Coventry when she struck a guardrail.  The accident went unreported and would have remained unreported if a student on the bus hadn't told his mother about the crash.  The students' mother immediately called the police to report the incident.  The boy suffered minor injuries.

  Later the same day Johnson was driving a minivan in Vernon when she crashed into a car that had stopped for a school bus on West Street.  When police arrived on the scene they administered breath tests to Johnsen.  The bus drivers blood alcohol level was found to be .196 and .186 percent.  This is well above Connecticut's legal limit of .04 percent.

  Johnsen, who was employed by Access Transportation, was reportedly fired the day of the crash.

  Johnsen has been charged with risk of injury to a minor, second-degree reckless endangerment, evading responsibility and driving too fast for conditions.  She was released without having to post bail and will have to report to court on March 1 in Rockville.

   

  The staff and attorneys at Glass, Lebovitz, Kasheta & Bren hope that the injured student is able to make a fast and complete recovery.

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• East Hartford Lawmaker Proposes Mandatory Motorcycle Training Course
  Feb 22, 2010

  Stephanie Pelletier lost her 19-year-old son, Nicholas Cohen, in a motorcycle accident in 2008.  The East Hartford mother has asked lawmakers to change the now optional safety training course to a mandatory course for first-time motorcycle drivers.  Rep. Timothy D. Larson, D-East Hartford, spoke with Ms. Pelletier and has proposed that the course be mandatory for all new bikers.

  
  Pelletier believes that a mandatory safety training course may help reduce the number of motorcycle accidents in Hartford and across Connecticut.  Though she knows the proposal may take awhile to become law, she is hopeful.

  
  "I know it's going to be a long process, but at least we got the ball rolling," she said.

  
  Another concern of both Pelletier and Larson is that many people, Pelletier's son included, never get a permanent motorcycle license.  Instead bikers may test for a temporary permit twice a year.  Even if a motorcycle driver fails their road test they can reapply for a permit.  This can leave unqualified bikers on the roadway.  

  
  Larson believes that a change in DMV policy may reduce the number of motorcycle crashes in Connecticut.  The Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles Robert M. Ward agrees.  Ward has spoken with Pelletier and Larson and has indicated that the department is in favor of the proposal.

  
  If passed, the law would require that every driver seeking a motorcycle license endorsement for the first time take the Connecticut Rider Education Program.  The program, offered by the Connecticut DMV, can be taken at several locations across the state.  The cost of the program is currently $200.

   

  
  The staff and attorneys at Glass, Lebovitz, Kasheta & Bren would like to extend our condolences to the family of Nicholas Cohen.

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