Local Man Critically Injured

In One-Car Accident

By Andrew Gorosko

A local man was listed in critical but stable condition in the intensive care unit of Hartford Hospital midafternoon on July 5, following a one-car accident on Taunton Hill Road early on the morning of June 30.

The injured man is Matthew Meehan, 22, of 62 Head O’ Meadow Road.

Following the crash, Meehan was transported to Danbury Hospital by the Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps, where he was admitted as a patient. He later was airlifted by the LifeStar helicopter to Hartford Hospital for advanced medical treatment.    

Meehan received serious head injuries in the accident, which occurred near 6 Taunton Hill Road,  at about 1:36 am June 30, police report.

Meehan was a front-seat passenger in a 1996 Volkswagen Jetta sedan.

Police said that motorist Andrew Scharf, 20, of 13 Flat Swamp Road was driving the Volkswagen westward on Taunton Hill Road, about 500 feet west of its intersection with Saw Mill Road, when Meehan began to climb out of the open right front window of the moving vehicle.

“According to the rear seat passengers, the right-front passenger, Meehan, began to climb out of the open right-front window of the moving vehicle, and was, or was about to, sit on the sill,” police said.

According to police, Scharf told them that he had informed Meehan to get back into the vehicle moments earlier while traveling on Saw Mill Road, when Scharf saw Meehan with his body extending halfway out of the window.

While traveling on Taunton Hill Road, the Volkswagen began to drift to the right , after which it is thought that Meehan’s extended body struck a utility pole along the right road shoulder, causing him to be ejected from the auto, police said. Meehan received “traumatic head injuries,” police said.

Rear-seat passengers in the Volkswagen were Lindsey Malmborg, 20, and Floyd Malmborg, 16, both of 108 Mt Pleasant Road, police said.

Hawleyville firefighters went to the accident, which remains under investigation by police.