Police Await Official ME Report To Close Apparent

Accidental Death Case

By John Voket

Newtown Police said that while an incident that left a Sandy Hook resident dead “appears to be an accident,” Lt George Sinko told The Bee on Monday, December 20, that the department is awaiting official notification by the State Medical Examiners Office before closing out their local investigation.

Unfortunately, a verbal confirmation from the ME’s office that Samuel Lekuch’s accidental death was caused by a “blunt traumatic head and chest injury” cannot begin to unravel the sequence of events that tragically ended the resident’s life on the morning of December 17. Without an eyewitness, specific details may never be known.

First responders say the 66-year-old Tanglewood Drive resident was found by a passerby underneath a vehicle on his property. The first calls for help came in at 10:21 am Friday, police said.

Among the first on the scene with a full crew of volunteers, Sandy Hook Fire & Rescue Chief William Halstead described a scene where the outcome was unfortunately and evidently clear within moments.

He told The Bee that several Sandy Hook volunteers, including some junior members, were already at the firehouse, so they were able to roll rescue apparatus “within seconds” of being dispatched. Chief Halstead said additional volunteers were on hand at the Botsford fire station, so they too arrived on scene almost immediately.

When responders arrived, Chief Halstead said, attention was focused on rescuing the victim. Firefighters stabilized the vehicle and used a hydraulic tool to raise the car in short order while others cleared from beneath the auto Mr Lekuch so medical responders could go to work.

Sadly, police say, a Newtown paramedic pronounced the victim dead at the scene.

While fire volunteers go about readying upcoming holiday celebrations, Chief Halstead said his thoughts turn to the many tragedies he has seen over his years of fire service.

“It seems like almost every year something like this, a fire or an accident, happens right before Christmas,” he said.

Acknowledging that even long-tenured rescue personnel are touched by these tragedies whenever they occur, Chief Halstead said in the case of the Tanglewood Drive incident, he ordered his department’s junior responders to handle necessary support work upon arrival, without putting them in direct proximity to the victim during the rescue.

At the same time, the Newtown Police Traffic Unit is waiting to complete its investigation after several hours of evidence gathering and photography at the scene. Sergeant Philip Hynes said he could not confirm any reports that the victim may have been hit or otherwise became trapped under the car.

He said any specific details about possible movement or the location of the vehicle or the victim are “part of the investigation.”

Responders said the residence is located on a rise with a driveway that slopes to the street below, and there is a stone wall along part of the front of the property. Chief Halstead said his crew staged the rescue near the stone wall, and that on the request of police, left equipment in place for several hours so it could be inventoried and photographed as part of the documentation being gathered.

He and several volunteers returned later to recover the equipment and to finalize their duties at the scene.

After canvassing the neighborhood for information, Sgt Hines initially asked if anyone with details about the incident, or what Mr Lekuch may have been doing the morning of Friday, December 17, to contact the Traffic Division of Newtown Police Services (203-426-5841).

Mr Lekuch lived in Newtown for 19 years, and before that, for many years on Long Island, both in Ridge and Sayville, where he worked in banking and as a volunteer police officer.

Mr Lekuch and his wife, Monica, known collectively as “Short Circuit DJs”, enjoyed providing the music and being a part of many happy occasions, such as weddings, for more than 25 years. He was retired yet was well known to patrons of Connecticut Limo’s Danbury office, where he worked for several years.

According to his obituary notice, Mr Lekuch was remembered by neighbors for his “helpful demeanor, as well as his sense of humor.” He was an especially popular fixture in his neighborhood on Halloween when he would decorate his home and dress in his favorite Star Trek costume, “a prime example of his silly and corny nature.”

He was laid to rest on December 21. Besides his wife and his brother, Herbert, Mr Lekuch is survived by four adult children and five grandchildren.