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THREE FATALITIES

B Y A NDREW G OROSKO

Three drivers died in three single-vehicle accidents in Newtown during the

six-day period from October 7 through 12, marking the largest rash of such

fatalities in memory.

Besides the Stratford man who died in the gasoline tanker crash in Dodgingtown

on Monday, October 7, Newtowner Richard Matern died October 10 after hitting a

tree with his car, and Brookfield resident Janet L. Chase was killed in an

accident early on the morning of Saturday, October 12, on Route 6, near the

Newtown-Bethel line.

Route 6 Accident

Ms Chase, 41, of 33 Stony Hill Village, Brookfield, was driving westbound on

Route 6 after 5 am when her 1989 Ford automobile crossed the road's center

line and entered the eastbound lane, Newtown police said.

The vehicle traveled about 200 feet westbound on the eastbound road shoulder,

flipped onto its roof, and then smashed into a large tree.

The Stony Hill Volunteer Fire Department extricated Ms Chase from the heavily

damaged vehicle. She was transported by the Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps

to Danbury Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

The Bethel Police Department and the Stony Hill Volunteer Ambulance crew

assisted at the crash scene.

Police have not yet received the cause of Ms Chase's death from the medical

examiner.

Newtown police officers Lieutenant David Lydem, Sergeant Henry Stormer, and

Patrol Officers Gary Wheeler and Christopher Vanghele took part in the

accident investigation.

Cedar Hill Crash

Late on the morning of Thursday, October 10, Mr Matern, 72, of 50 Appleblossom

Lane was driving a Ford Escort eastbound on Cedar Hill Road when the car moved

to the right, partially exited the roadway, and struck a tree about 4« feet

off the road.

The Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps transported Mr Matern to Danbury

Hospital, where he later died from internal injuries caused by the blunt

trauma force of the crash, police said. The crash is under investigation.

Sergeant Martin Pytko and Patrol Officers Clayton Brown and Joseph Joudy

investigated the accident at the scene.

Tanker Crash

On Monday, October 7, at about 8:10 pm, David P. Wagenblas, 28, of Stratford,

who was driving a tractor-trailer truck hauling a tankerload of gasoline, was

killed after losing control of the westbound truck as it rounded a sharp turn

on Route 302, near the Hattertown Road intersection.

The truck rolled onto its side, struck two utility poles, then plunged into

the parking lot of George's Restaurant and Pizza in a ball of flames.

The crash destroyed six parked cars, damaged the restaurant and sent patrons

running out of the building.

Mr Wagenblas died in the fire, but amazingly no one else was injured.

Lt Lydem, who has been on the police force 29 years, said he doesn't recall so

many fatal motor vehicle accidents having happened in such a short period

time.

"It just happened that way," he said, attributing the rash of deaths to

"happenstance."