Sandy Hook Man Dies In Collision

By Andrew Gorosko

SOUTHBURY — A Sandy Hook man died as a result of injuries that he received in a January 21 head-on, two-vehicle accident on River Road, just downriver of the span commonly known as the Silver Bridge, which links Southbury to Sandy Hook.

The collision occurred on a blind curve on River Road, which follows the eastern shoreline of the Housatonic River, which is known as Lake Zoar in that area. The accident took place approximately 100 yards downriver of the Silver Bridge

The victim was Clinton A. Hewitt, 85, of 9 Housatonic Drive, Shady Rest.

Following the accident, the Southbury Volunteer Ambulance transported Mr Hewitt to Waterbury Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, Southbury police said. A spokeswoman for the chief state medical examiner’s office said an autopsy indicated that Mr Hewitt died due to blunt chest trauma.

Following the collision, police closed a section of River Road to traffic for several hours to investigate the accident, resulting in detours in the area.

Police said Mr Hewitt was driving a 1992 Toyota Camry westward on River Road about 5:14 pm, as motorist Thomas O. McKenna, 50, of 385 Fish Rock Road, Southbury, was driving a 2004 Ford F-450 welding truck eastward on River Road. The truck is owned by East Coast Welding of Southbury. Neither vehicle carried passengers.      

“[The Toyota] failed to negotiate a curve, crossed the [road’s] center line into the eastbound lane and struck [the Ford] head-on,” police report.

The Toyota was traveling in the direction toward the Silver Bridge when the impact occurred.

Mr McKenna was not injured in the accident, police said.

Both drivers were wearing seatbelts. The airbag in the Toyota inflated in the crash. Police said the accident remains under investigation.