News

Berkshire Road Crash Claims One Life, Injures Four Others

By Shannon Hicks

Published: Aug 29, 2025 7:00 am

NOTE: This story, first published August 24, 2025, has been updated.

One woman died and four others were taken to the hospital early Sunday morning after a one-vehicle crash on Berkshire Road (State Route 34).

Newtown Police this week said the vehicle was occupied by Newtown and Danbury residents who ranged in age from 19-21 years old.

First responders including local police, firefighters, ambulance crews and paramedics all converged on Berkshire just west of its intersection with Zoar Road after a crash was reported there around 2:45 am August 24. A 2017 Ford Mustang GT had been traveling west on Berkshire and went off the road just west of Zoar Road. A release from Newtown PD said an investigation determined the vehicle had been traveling “at a high rate of speed.”

Berkshire Road has a curve near that intersection. The vehicle continued straight and crashed into a tree in front of the home at 109 Berkshire Road. At least one person had to be extricated from the car.

Mary Cordero, 19, of Danbury, died at the scene.

The driver and three additional passengers were all transported to the hospital. At least two were transported with critical injuries. Their names had not been released as of August 27.

Newtown Police, Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue, Botsford Fire Rescue, Newtown Hook & Ladder, Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps, and ambulance crews from Brookfield, Southbury and Stony Hill all responded to the scene.

Berkshire Road was closed between its intersections with Sherman Street and Bennetts Bridge Road for six hours while police investigated. The road reopened around 8:45 am.

According to her obituary, Cordero was a nursing student at Western Connecticut State University. She is survived by her parents, Noemi Ortega and Joseph Cordero; her boyfriend, Christian Velis; a sister, Alice Esther Cordero; many aunts, uncles, her paternal grandparents, and her maternal grandmother.

There was no update available on the medical conditions for the injured parties as of Wednesday, August 27.

Newtown PD Sgt Bart Lorancaitis, Sgt Matthew Pirhala and the PD Detective Division are leading the investigation. Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to contact Newtown Police Department at 203-426-5841.

A 19-year-old Danbury woman died after the vehicle she was in failed to negotiate a turn on Berkshire Road immediately west of Zoar Road early Sunday morning, August 24, and crashed into a tree. Four others in the vehicle were transported to the hospital, including two with reportedly critical injuries. —Bee Photo, Hicks

Boys’ Soccer Team Turns To Depth And Speed In Title Quest

Newtown Trio Helped Out Behind The Scenes With Danbury Westerners This Summer

The Way We Were

Top Of The Mountain

Lamont, Bysiewicz Invite Public To Connecticut’s Annual 9/11 Memorial Ceremony

I have to say, I don’t understand how this project could be considered “morally wrong.” That kind of language feels more like obstruction than constructive dialogue. What is morally wrong is leaving seniors in our community without enough housing options. Right now, Newtown does not have adequate senior housing, and the few developments that exist, like Naunawag Meadows, already have waiting lists. As for the comment that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” that simply isn’t accurate. The system is broken when residents who’ve lived here their whole lives cannot find an affordable and appropriate place to age in town. Responsible development that balances environmental concerns, safety improvements (such as traffic calming measures and sidewalks), and the needs of our seniors is exactly the kind of planning Newtown should be doing. This isn’t about wanting or not wanting something in one’s backyard—it’s about building a community that takes care of its people. Please don't get scared away by the nimby mob.

Planning & Zoning Continues Discussion Of 12 Cold Spring Road

It seems a lot of the discussion around the flagpole focuses on vilifying drivers who pass on the right, but the real issue is being overlooked. If Chapter 248 Section 14-251 were enforced, we wouldn’t see this problem to begin with. That statute prohibits stopping in the middle of a roadway to yield to cross traffic—as so often happens with cars waiting to turn from Church Hill. When vehicles stop illegally in the travel lane, they effectively create a blockage. Other drivers then either sit through unnecessary delays or carefully pass around them on the right, which is fully permitted when the vehicle ahead is “illegally parked” in the roadway. Instead of punishing drivers reacting to the obstruction, enforcement should focus on the cause: vehicles unlawfully stopping and backing up traffic in the first place. If that behavior were addressed, the need to “go around” would largely disappear.

Borough Board of Burgesses Continues Traffic Safety Discussion

John, you raise an important point — these situations are tragic, complicated, and often far less clear-cut than the headlines make them seem. In the Fredericksburg case, the full facts still aren’t publicly known, and like so many of these stories, there’s conflicting information. It was apparently the back door at 3 a.m. — was it justified to use deadly force? We don’t know yet. What we do know is that the homeowner has been charged, and as you rightly noted, that is very serious. But this is also where perspective matters. These cases are quickly sensationalized in the news and on social media, yet when the dust settles, the outcomes are rarely publicized. People forget that in our system, you are innocent until proven guilty. Try to find much coverage of the convication in the case of the Fairfield Realtor vehicle homicide, or updates on the woman who shot her husband a couple of Christmases ago, or even the pedestrian death in Sandy Hook a year or so back. The follow-through simply isn’t there, and public opinion is often shaped only by the first round of headlines. At the end of the day, these situations remind us how split-second decisions in the middle of the night can change lives forever — which is exactly why the right to protect one’s property, home and family is so fiercely debated, and lucky constitutionally protected.

Late Night Prank Gone Wrong

First the low hanging fruit. Dave; it was a joke, please get over it. You are the only person in Newtown that thought I really wanted to build a stadium on 6 Commence Rd. Now on to Alex. You might not appreciate my writing style or my selection of words, but let's not loose sight of the fact that by responding to my letter in the manner that you did, you have removed any doubt whatsoever that you have no idea of the quantifiable benefits you are dismissing not only for the town, but also for protesters. Either you stopped listening at the word "ordinance" or you never started.. Your constitutional rights to assemble were never in question and would actually be strengthened and there would be literally no impediments. We could even title it "The Alex Villamil Ordinance" if you want. It could be your legacy and actually show Newtown your willingness to work in a bipartisan way for the betterment of the town. Businesses would be protected. Traffic wouldn't be interrupted. The town would save hundreds of thousands of dollars in police overtime. And maybe most importantly, the town could prevent another tragedy while mitigating legal risk in the event something terrible happens at a protest. Nothing bad could never happen in Newtown right? All that could be accomplished by a simple, non-intrusive ordinance unless all the detriments to our town are intentional in order to bring more attention to your cause. Alex, this was not me throwing a temper tantrum. Believe me, you will know it if that happens. I am just putting Newtown first. From that perspective, if you think critically, the regulation is necessary. It makes sense logically, rationally, and is reasonable. There is absolutely no down side. None. I would be willing to sit down with you to see if we could come to some type of compromise if you want. Let me know. You would be amazed how much you can accomplish when there is dialogue amongst neighbors.

It’s About Dialogue Amongst Neighbors — Not Regulation

A popular prank circulating on TikTok is “ding-dong-ditch” where a group of young people violently bang or kick someone’s door late at night and then “ditch” or run. On May 3 three high schoolers here in Fredericksburg Va. were participating in such a prank. One homeowner assumed, as in this case, an attempted break in and also took measures to defend his family and property. As the youths were running away he fired, striking an 18 year old graduating senior in the back killing him and seriously injuring a second youth. A wasted life, a family shattered, and the homeowner charged with murder.

Log In

Berkshire Road Crash Claims One Life, Injures Four Others

Leave a Reply Cancel reply