Sandy Hook Man Arrested For Fatal I-84 Crash
Connecticut State Police said that on March 5, they arrested a 19-year-old Sandy Hook man on a warrant, charging him in connection with a fatal motor vehicle accident that occurred on Interstate 84 on May 30, 2017.
State police said they charged Michael Alan Vitti, who was 18 when the incident occurred, with negligent homicide with a motor vehicle, failure to drive in the proper lane on a multiple-lane highway, and distracted driving. State police said the distracted driving charge does not stem from cellphone use.
Vitti turned himself over to state police at the Troop A Barracks in Southbury after learning that they held a warrant for his arrest. After processing, state police released Vitti on $1,500 bail for an arraignment on the charges on March 20 in Connecticut Superior Court in Danbury.
Gerard M. Mauskapf, 64, of Red Hook, Dutchess County, N.Y., died due to injuries received in the accident, according to state police.
At about 8:55 am on May 30, 2017, Mauskapf, who had been driving a mid-size 2014 Ford Fusion sedan, pulled over to the right road shoulder on a sweeping right curve on eastbound I-84's Exit 11 off-ramp, after which he got out of the Ford, according to state police.
Vitti, who was driving a compact 2007 Subaru Impreza 2.5-i, which was approaching the parked Ford, then struck the Ford and Mauskapf, who was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical services personnel. Vitti was not injured.
State police said that through their investigation into the accident, they learned that Vitti became distracted while driving and traveled onto the right road shoulder where the collision occurred.
Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company members, Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps, and a paramedic responded to the incident. A state Department of Transportation crew went to the scene to shut down the eastbound Exit 11 off-ramp, which remained closed for several hours while the police investigation was underway.