Danbury Woman Killed

In Exit 11 Crash

By Andrew Gorosko

A Danbury woman died of injuries she received in a one-car accident on the night of Friday, February 28, at the Exit 11 interchange of Interstate 84 in Sandy Hook, state police said.

Dead is Marilyn J. Carrafielo, 62, of 64 Old Ridgebury Road, Danbury.

State police said Ms Carrafielo, who was alone, was driving a 2001 Chevrolet Malibu four-door sedan on the entrance ramp of westbound I-84, when she apparently lost control of the vehicle after it slid on the wet dual-lane entrance ramp.

The Chevrolet then went from the left lane of the entrance ramp onto the right road shoulder, where it struck a graded slope with a gravel surface, state police said.

After it struck the embankment, the auto rolled over, ejecting Ms Carrafielo from the vehicle, state police said. The accident occurred in the vicinity where the westbound entrance ramp passes beneath I-84.

State police said it is unclear if Ms Carrafielo was wearing a safety belt at the time of the accident. State police said the accident remains under investigation.

The vehicle Ms Carrafielo was driving was owned by her employer, Area Cooperative Educational Services of Hamden.

Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire and Rescue Chief Bill Halstead said that after arriving at the scene firefighters provided first aid to Ms Carrafielo, who was lying on an embankment alongside the highway.

The Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps then arrived and transported the victim to Danbury Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Following the accident, state police closed the highway entrance ramp to investigate the cause of the crash, resulting in travel delays. State Trooper Steve Rupsis is investigating.