Man Seriously Injured In Head-On Crash

By Andrew Gorosko

A New Milford man was a patient in Danbury Hospital on the afternoon of Wednesday, November 17, recuperating from injuries he received in a serious two-vehicle head-on collision on Route 34 (Berkshire Road) early on the morning of Saturday, November 13.

Justin A. Michael, 22, was in good condition, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Following the accident, which occurred about 6:04 am, Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company members extricated the trapped Michael from the crumpled wreckage of the 1999 Acura sports car that he was driving when the collision occurred, said Sandy Hook Fire Chief Bill Halstead.

“It was a little complicated… He was trapped in there… He was conscious and alert,” Chief Halstead said of firefighters’ approximately 35-minute effort to free the man from the crushed auto.

Because he was alert, Michael was able to let firefighters know whether the actions that they were taking to free him from the vehicle were painful to him, thus allowing them to prevent further injury to the man, the fire chief said.

Firefighters initially removed the auto’s passenger door and then took off the auto’s roof with extrication tools to free Michael from the heavily damaged car, Chief Halstead added.

Police described how the accident occurred.

Motorist Stephanie Bock, 22, of 47 Botsford Hill Road, was driving a 2006 Chrysler Pacifica SUV westward on Route 34, as Michael was driving the Acura eastward there, police said.

The Chrysler then crossed over the road’s center line and entered the eastbound lane, colliding head-on with the eastbound Acura, police said. The accident occurred about 500 feet east of Route 34’s intersection with High Rock Road.

Following Michael’s extrication from the Acura, Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps members transported him to Danbury Hospital for treatment of serious physical injuries, police said.

Both vehicles were heavily damaged in the impact. The Chrysler is a much taller, heavier vehicle than the Acura.

Police said that following an investigation, they arrested Bock on charges of second-degree assault with a motor vehicle, driving under the influence, failure to drive to the right, possession of less than four ounces of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Police said they held Bock on $50,000 bail for a November 15 arraignment on the charges in Danbury Superior Court.

At court, Bock’s bail was lowered to $10,000, which was then posted. She is scheduled to appear in court again on November 30 to enter pleas to the five pending charges.

Police spent several hours at the Route 34 accident scene, investigating the crash. A section of Route 34 was closed to traffic for a period following the collision, resulting in detours in the area.

Police ask anyone who witnessed the accident to contact them at 203-426-5841.