Three Hospitalized After

Convertible Rollover

By Andrew Gorosko

Three of five teenage youths who were involved in a convertible rollover accident on Mt Pleasant Road in Hawleyville on the evening of July 1 were patients in Danbury Hospital on July 3.

Those three injured Bethel youths were in fair condition, according to a hospital spokeswoman. They are Zachary King, 18; Courtney Kaechel,16; and Jessica Gagnier, 16.

After the crash, Patrick Varisco, 18, of Brookfield was treated and released, as was Christina Kaechel, 16, of Bethel.

Police said King was driving the auto. Varisco was a front seat passenger. The three other youths were in the auto’s back seat.

Police said King was driving a 1995 Ford Mustang convertible eastbound on Mt Pleasant Road just east of the Bethel town line about 7:12 pm, when King overtook a noncontact vehicle in a legal passing area. But in heading back into the eastbound lane, after passing the noncontact vehicle, the Ford went out of control and skidded across the westbound lane, going across the driveway of the Newtown Professional Center.

The auto then skidded across a driveway at 170 Mt Pleasant Road, struck a small vacant building and then flipped over.

Hawleyville firefighters went to the accident scene to aid in the emergency. The Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps transported the victims to Danbury Hospital for treatment. Police said the crash remains under investigation and charges are pending.