A 19-year-old from Danbury has been arrested for the death of a passenger in a vehicle he was operating that crashed on Berkshire Road in August.

Alexis Salazar of Danbury turned himself in to Newtown Police Department on October 21 on an arrest warrant. He was subsequently released on a $300,000 bond.

Salazar has been charged with one charge of Manslaughter 1 Grave Risk Death, one charge of Tampering-Physical Evidence, three counts of Assault-Third Degree, three counts of Reckless Endangerment-First, one count of False Statement, one count of Negligent Homicide-Motor Vehicle, one count of Reckless Driving, and one count of Passing in No Passing Zone.

A Newtown PD investigation determined Salazar was the operator of a 2017 Ford Mustang GT that was traveling westbound on Berkshire Road (Route 34) at a high rate of speed around 2 am Sunday, August 24.

As the Mustang approached the intersection with Zoar Road, Salazar failed to negotiate a left hand curve in the roadway and continued straight. The Mustang traveled off the westbound side of the roadway and its front end crashed into a large tree.

The Mustang contained five occupants. Mary Cordero, 19, also of Danbury, was pronounced deceased on scene. She was a passenger in the rear middle seat of the vehicle.

Salazar and the three other occupants of the Mustang were transported to Danbury Hospital for their injuries, two with critical injuries.

Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps, and ambulance crews from Brookfield, Southbury and Stony Hill, and Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue, Botsford Fire Rescue, and Newtown Hook & Ladder all responded to the scene. The road was closed between its intersections with Sherman Street and Bennetts Bridge Road for more than five hours while police investigated.

Members of the Newtown Police Department Detective Bureau and Accident Reconstruction Team responded to the scene and initiated an investigation. This investigation included diagramming the accident scene, obtaining multiple search warrants, speaking to witnesses, reviewing security cameras, among other investigative steps.

Managing Editor Shannon Hicks can be reached at shannon@thebee.com.