Early Morning Crash Temporarily Closes Route 6 In Hawleyville; Lengthy Extrication Required
Newtown Police are investigating a tractor trailer versus car crash that occurred at approximately 6:20 am on Friday morning, December 27, near the busy intersection of Mt Pleasant and Sawmill Roads.
Hawleyville Fire and Rescue Chief John Basso, who handled command supervision at the scene, credited more than 20 volunteers from his department and Hook & Ladder for responding quickly to the scene. A section of Mt Pleasant Road west of the Route 6-25 intersection was closed to traffic while first responders worked at the scene.
Utilizing heavy equipment from Hook & Ladder’s Rescue apparatus, firefighters conducted a complex extrication of the single occupant of the car that was involved.
“We had to basically take the car apart around the driver,” Chief Basso said.
Hook & Ladder Chief Ray Corbo said Hook & Ladder was dispatched concurrently with its rescue truck because Hawleyville’s rescue truck was temporarily out of service.
Upon his arrival at the scene, Chief Basso said he saw a tractor trailer facing southbound in the northbound lane of Mt Pleasant Road, and a vehicle facing northbound in the southbound lane.
Both fire chiefs said it appeared the vehicle was exiting Sawmill Road onto Mt Pleasant Road when the tractor-trailer heading southbound struck it on the front driver’s side, pushing the vehicle several hundred feet uphill before coming to rest.
According to the fire officials, the extrication took approximately 30 minutes due to its complexity. The driver of the car has been identified as Patrick Capozziello, 19, of Sawmill Road. He was transported by Newtown Volunteer Ambulance to Danbury Hospital, police said.
The tractor trailer involved is owned by Neves Construction of New Fairfield, and was being operated by Wilson Navaguari, police said. The truck driver was uninjured, according to police.
Chief Basso said there was so much vehicle fluid and debris that State DOT crews were called in with a sander and sweeper to clear the roadway once the vehicles were removed. The roadway was reopened to traffic by 9:30 am.