Date: Fri 11-Jun-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

police-I-84-accident

Full Text:

I-84 Accident Leads To Charges Against Danbury Woman

BETHEL -- State police have charged a Danbury woman with manslaughter with a

motor vehicle while intoxicated in connection with a February three-car

accident on Interstate 84 in which a passenger in the car she was driving was

killed.

State police also filed charges of reckless driving and operating a motor

vehicle while under suspension against Lasetta M. Flanagan, 24, of 276 White

Street, Danbury.

State police said an investigation into blood records indicated Flanagan was

intoxicated at the time of the crash. Flanagan was arraigned on the charges

June 4 in Danbury Superior Court, state police said.

A Danbury man was killed on the night of February 19 as a result of injuries

he received after being thrown from an automobile in the three-car accident on

eastbound Interstate-84.

Edward P. Dayton, II, 23, of 113 Long Ridge Road, Danbury, died in the

accident. He was the rear seat passenger in a 1990 Honda sedan driven by

Flanagan.

State police said that while eastbound on I-84, approximately one mile west of

Exit 9, at about 10:20 pm, the Honda attempted to pass an eastbound 1998

Volkswagen sedan, but in doing so struck the Volkswagen, causing the Honda to

go out of control, veer to the right side of the roadway, go off the road and

roll over an undetermined number of times, ejecting Mr Dayton from the

vehicle.

After being struck by the Honda, the Volkswagen, which was driven by Daniel V.

Varisco, 19, of 92 Riverford Road, Brookfield, collided with an eastbound 1999

Saab sedan driven by Alice A. Wilder, 32, of New York City, state police said.

Flanagan received serious leg and pelvic injuries. Paul Hoyt, 18, of 25 Linden

Street, Oakville, who was a front seat passenger in the Honda, received minor

injuries and was treated and released from Danbury Hospital.