HARTFORD — Governor Ned Lamont is directing the flag of the State of Connecticut to be lowered to half-staff in honor of State Representative Quentin “Q” Williams (D-Middletown), who was killed early this morning in a motor vehicle crash.

The Associated Press is reporting Williams was involved in a wrong-way crash on Route 9 in Cromwell after having attended the governor’s inaugural ball and his own swearing-in ceremony for a third term.

State police report one vehicle was traveling north in the southbound lane of Route 9 near the Arrigoni Bridge, in the wrong direction, when it struck a second vehicle head-on around 12:48 am January 5. One of the vehicles became fully engulfed in flames. Both drivers died at the scene. State police have not yet identified the victims.

State flags should be lowered effective immediately and remain lowered until sunset on the date of interment, which has not yet been determined. The Office of the Governor will send out a notification indicating when flags should be returned to full staff.

Gov Lamont called the news “devastating.”

“Quentin had an infectiously optimistic personality, and he absolutely loved having the opportunity to represent his lifelong home of Middletown at the State Capitol. Public service was his passion, and he was always advocating on behalf of the people of his hometown,” the governor continued. “He was a genuine person with a genuine soul, and he will be missed. My prayers are with his family, including his wife Carrissa and his mother Queen, as well as his friends and colleagues in the General Assembly.”

Thursday’s legislative activities were canceled and the Legislative Office Building was closed in response.

Williams, the new co-chair of the General Assembly’s Labor and Public Employees Committee, was the first African American to represent Middletown in the General Assembly, according to a biography on his legislative web page.

Before being elected to the legislature, Williams served as Middletown’s city treasurer after leading the city’s planning and zoning commission. He attended Middletown schools, earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Bryant University and a master’s degree in public administration from Villanova University, according to AP.

He is survived by his wife Carissa.