HART Bus Accident Leads To Lawsuit

Housatonic Area Regional Transit (HART) and the eight towns which it serves have learned they may become defendants in a lawsuit concerning the death of an elderly Newtown man who died in August after suffering injuries in a HART bus accident last March in Danbury.

In a letter to HART, Newtown, and the seven other towns, attorney Eugene Cederbaum, representing the co-executors of the Estate of John Leibold, writes that the estate will make a claim for the “wrongful death” following the injuries Mr Leibold sustained on March 10 when he was struck by a HART bus operated by Willie Wilkins.

“The incident occurred at approximately 3:55 pm on a roadway immediately in front of the exit doors of 69 Sand Pit Road as Mr Leibold was leaving the offices of his physician,” the notice states.

As a result of being struck by the bus, Mr Leibold sustained severe and painful injuries from which he suffered until he died August 20, according to Mr Cederbaum. From the time of the accident until his death, Mr Leibold was confined to Danbury Hospital and Bethel Health Care Center, the notice states.

Mr Leibold’s injuries are believed to include a severe concussion and multiple fractures, according to the notice.

The notice alleges the death of Mr Leibold was caused by the negligence of Mr Wilkins. “The police report indicates that he [Wilkins] stated that moments before the accident he ‘took his eyes off the road for a second to check his mirrors,” the lawyer writes.

The estate will seek damages from the Town of Newtown and the other parties, Mr Cederbaum states.