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Police ID Man, 32, Killed in Shooting

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Police have identified the 32-year-old man killed in a shooting in his apartment building early Saturday morning in Meriden and said police are investigating a suspect.

Victor Nina, 32, was shot once in the chest. Police believe he was shot in a second floor apartment at 32 Cook Ave. and made his way to the first floor landing where he collapsed and died. No one has been arrested at this time, but police said they have a suspect in mind.

Firefighters were first to respond to the apartment building because the call first came in as a fire alarm. Numerous other 911 calls followed from neighbors reporting hearing a commotion upstairs at the Huntington Place apartment building. Police encountered a chaotic scene around 4:45 a.m. when they arrived.

“Once officers arrived on the scene it was quite chaotic," Meriden police Sgt. Darrin McKay said. "We had people up in the hallway as well as down in the parking lot, and right now we do have two active crime scenes working.”

Police are investigating two crime scenes, the apartment where they believe the man was shot and the parking lot behind the building.

One neighbor heard a gunshot fired.

“It was about quarter to five or ten to five in the morning, and I heard one gun shot, and then police were here within about five seconds," Walter McGrath, of Meriden, said. “It’s not a good area, here this building. I always check behind my back when I walk here.”

The identity of the supect has not been released.

Officers are interviewing about a half dozen witnesses to determine why the shooting occurred and who fired the gun that killed the man.

Police say this is a very active investigation and they are working to interview witnesses. They have not arrested anyone but said the incident is over and there is no threat to the public.


Winds Knock Out Power, Down Trees and Wires

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Following high wind gusts on Saturday that left more than 1,700 without power and knocked down trees and wires across the state, there could be some light flurries and rain on Easter Sunday.

The high winds knocked down trees and wires  across the state on Saturday. A large tree fell on Russert Lane in Southington and the fire department said it was likely wind-related. In Simsbury, a tree fell on a car on West Mountain Road. West Rocks Road was closed Saturday between Bayne Street and Route 7 after a tree fell and snapped a utility pole. Wind knocked down wires, causing a brush fire nearby on Route 184 in Groton, which was closed as a result Saturday.

Hundreds lost power during the height of the wind. By 6:41 p.m., most power was restored to United Illuminating customers and 1,371 Eversource customers remained without it. That's in comparison to the 1,620 Eversource customers, mostly in Southington, Stamford, Weston, Wilton and Windham and about 156 United Illuminating customers in Fairfield who were without power at 5:15 p.m.

The northern half of the state was placed under a wind advisory Saturday as gusts traveled as fast as 40 to 50 miles an hour statewide.

After the wind dies down at sunset with winds continuing into the evening, a weak storm system moving in overnight could bring some light flurries in the morning on Easter Sunday, but we'll also have a sunny start to the day before rain moves in. Temperatures are expected to reach a high of 48 inland for a breezy Sunday.

Another weak system following that will likely bring rain and could mean a chance of isolated snow showers Sunday night in Litchfield County. However temperatures will warm up a bit, potentially reaching 56 degrees.

Tuesday will likely dip to 40 degrees and it will remain chilly through Thursday at around 44. Come Friday, the weather is looking milder, with the temperature reaching 59 degrees.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Man Flees After Trying to Rob Gas Station: Police

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Police are looking for a man who tried to rob a gas station in New London at gunpoint and then fled empty-handed.

A man wielding a handgun demanded money from the clerk at the Sunoco Gas Station at 715 Colman Street on Saturday at 7:50 p.m., police said. When he wasn't able to get what he wanted, he ran from the gas station store.

Police described him as a man with an unshaven face who was wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt, yellow gloves and sunglasses, police said.

New London police are looking for him and continue to investigate the attempted robbery.

Police ask anyone with information to call the police department at 860-447-5281.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Motorcyclist Killed After Crashing Into Building

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A motorcyclist died early Sunday morning after crashing into a building on Ely Avenue in Norwalk just after midnight.

Police responded at 12:27 a.m. to the crash near the intersection with Mulvoy Street and tended to a male motorcyclist who was seriously injured after striking a building. He was taken to Norwalk Hospital, but later died there due to this injuries.

Police are not releasing the name of the motorcyclist until they notify his family.

The crash remains under investigation and the cause is unknown at this time. Police ask anyone with information to call Officer Chris Wasilewski at 203-854-3035 or email him at cwasilewski@norwalkct.org. The public can also call the Norwalk Police Department's tip line at 203-854-3111, enter an anonymous tip through the police department website at www.norwalkpd.com or text anonymous tips to CRIMES (274637) by entering NPD in the text field followed by your message.

Police Seek Man Accused of Gunfire

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Police are asking for help finding a man who they say fired a gun in the parking lot of a Queens casino at the same time dozens of people were attacking each other in a food court brawl there.

Authorities found no one who had been injured by the gunfire, but used surveillance footage to track the suspect's movements, police said. The NYPD's Facial Recognition Unit identified him as 22-year-old Jaquan Roberts, police said. It wasn't immediately clear if Roberts had a lawyer.

The 911 call reporting gunfire in the parking lot of Resorts World Casino Friday night came in at the same time as a number of 911 calls reporting a massive brawl.

Police responding to the casino found dozens of people throwing punches and hurling chairs, authorities said.

Three people were arrested and many more suffered minor injuries in the free-for-all, police said. One officer suffered a hand injury.

Police say hundreds of people watched and dozens participated.

A witness told NBC 4 New York that the melee started when two people argued about their place in line at a new Fat Tuesday daiquiri stand in the casino.

One of the arrested men was given a summons for disorderly conduct and released. Two others had previous warrants and were arrested on charges of disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and obstructing governmental administration.

A Resorts World Casino spokesman said in a statement that the casino's security had responded to the fight and worked to get it under control.

"The safety of our patrons is Resorts World's top priority, and there is absolutely no room for this kind of behavior at our facility," the statement said. "We are reviewing all aspects of this unfortunate event and are fully committed to taking steps to ensure similar acts do not take place ever again."

Rain, Snow Showers Continue Into Easter Sunday Evening

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After a sunny start to Easter Sunday, rain is expected to continue through the evening and overnight, with snow showers possible primarily in the northwest hills.

Rain began falling Sunday afternoon and should wrap up by the morning commute. After temperatures reached the low 50s inland during a breezy Sunday, it will dip into the mid-30s in the evening.

Some parts of the state saw show showers in the afternoon including Avon, Simsbury and East Canaan and isolated snow showers are possible in the evening. Snow accumulation is not anticipated.

Temperatures will warm up a bit, potentially reaching the mid to upper 50s on Monday.

Tuesday will likely dip to 40 degrees and it will remain chilly through Thursday at around 44. Come Friday, the weather is looking milder, with the temperature reaching 59 degrees.

High wind gusts Saturday knocked out power for hundreds and downed trees and wires in areas of Connecticut.

The northern half of the state was placed under a wind advisory Saturday as gusts traveled as fast as 40 to 50 miles an hour statewide, knocking down trees and wires. A large tree fell on cars on Russert Lane in Southington and the fire department said it was likely wind-related. In Simsbury, a tree fell on a car on Canton Road. West Rocks Road was closed Saturday between Bayne Street and Route 7 in Norwalk after a tree fell and snapped a utility pole. Wind knocked down wires, causing a brush fire nearby on Route 184 in Groton, which was closed overnight and has since reopened.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Outages Close Restaurants on Easter

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Power outages after an underground fire and explosion on Farmington Avenue in Hartford forced several West Hartford Center restaurants to close on Easter Sunday, one of the busiest Sundays for business of the year, and cancel reservations.

“It’s the first time in all the years we’ve been around that I’ve seen the center lose power,” said Aaron Sarwar, the manager of Shish Kebab House of Afghanistan on LaSalle Road.

While the Easter decorations were still up to welcome people to the Shish Kebab House of Afghanistan, there were no customers walking through the door. The  restaurant and many others in West Hartford Center could not open because they did not have power.

The estimated restoration time kept getting pushed later and later, forcing some restaurants to close for the day.

That could mean a lot of money lost and holiday food inventory wasted for restaurants expecting a lot of families to come for Easter brunch and dinner. However some restaurants salvaged their food by bringing in refrigerator trucks or generators.

A'vert Brasserie, located on LaSalle Road in West Hartford Center, was fully booked with reservations for brunch and dinner and also had to shut down the restaurant and cancel all reservations.

Dorjan Puka, chef and owner of Treva Restaurant & Bar, the sister restaurant to A'vert, said that the only Sunday busier than Easter is Mother's Day. Treva had 300 reservations booked for Easter Sunday and expected to serve 400 guests total, but the restaurant had to close because of the power outages and call each customer individually to cancel reservations. Snow days are better than this situation, he said.

"You know, you prepare, you get all the stuff, the food you need, and everybody and find out you don’t the power you can’t really open the door,” Puka said.

The restaurant is keeping all its food in a refrigerator truck so it won't go back. Eversource last said the power should be restored by 7 p.m., but Puka said he was told the restaurant should have its power back by 8:30 p.m. He plans to open up for the remainder of his operating hours once the power is back on.

In the meantime, Puka, who also owns Artisanal Burger Company in Manchester, is recommending patrons consider moving their Easter reservations there.

Max Burger and Max's Oyster Bar in West Hartford Center also closed due to the power outages. Shish Kebab House said that if they get power back on by 7 p.m., they'll open the bar for the remaining business hours.

“It was such a tough winter just right when we’re expecting you know to get back to, into a normal routine this occurs and we lose, we lose another full night,” Sarwar said.

Did you have plans to eat out Easter Sunday in Hartford or West Hartford? Where did you go instead if the restaurant was closed? Tell us in the comments. 



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Slain Teen's Friends Campaign Against Breakup Violence

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A Facebook group formed in honor of a 17-year-old Massachusetts girl who was murdered earlier this year is hoping to involve Katy Perry in its mission to raise awareness for breakup violence.

Kathryn Mauke was stabbed to death in February, allegedly at the hand of her ex-boyfriend, 20-year-old Nickolas Lacrosse.

"Friends of Kathryn Rose Mauke" penned an open letter to the singer, of whom the slain teen was a fan, as is her younger sister, Mariah.

"Katy's Grammy performance which brought awareness of domestic violence came just 3 days before Kathryn's murder. Katy is so respected and admired by the younger generation. Her voice would speak so loudly to bring awareness to dating violence with teens," the group wrote. "More education is needed so that our youth can protect themselves. We need something good to come out of Kathryn's death and it would be a fitting tribute."



Photo Credit: Springfield Police

One Hospitalized in Clinton Fire

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Clinton firefighters responded to a structure fire at 43 Cedar Road in town that sent one person to the hospital.

A person was inside when the fire broke out at about 1:20 p.m. Firefighters put out the flames on the lower level.

An ambulance transported the person to Yale-New Haven Hospital. The person's condition is unknown.

The fire marshal is investigating the fire.

Old Saybrook and Westbrook firefighters assisted.

Woman Sexually Assaulted at Beach

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A woman was sexually assaulted while her male companion was forced to lay face down in the sand at a Southern California beach just after midnight Sunday, police said.

The attacker, who is still at large, "simulated the use of a handgun" after sneaking up behind the victims, who were sitting in the sand in the 3400 block of the waterline at 12:16 a.m., according to a press release from the Manhattan Beach Police Department.

The attacker also robbed the man and woman, in their 40s, before the attacker fled on foot, police said. He was last seen walking away from the beach and heading south.

Police searched the area for the man, but couldn't find him. Detectives were following up with the investigation.

"We've never had a crime at all like this, certainly not on the beach," said Manhattan Beach Mayor Wayne Powell, who lives two blocks form where the crime took place. "When I found out about it, it was terrifying."

The tight-knit beach community was in disbelief as to what happened to the couple sitting in the sand.

"It's just unbelievable to me that that could happen here," said resident Jane Sager.

Manhattan Beach police did not have a suspect description available as of Sunday night.

Powell said detectives combed the beach for evidence and were looking for possible surveillance video to help catch the attacker.

"We're going to find you and put you behind bars,” the mayor said.



Photo Credit: Jane Yamamoto

1 Arrested After Human Remains Found in Duffel Bag

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A man was arrested after police found human remains in two duffel bags on Saturday in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

An active murder investigation is underway after the gruesome discovery. Police allege that the man was an accessory after the crime of assault and battery causing serious bodily injuries and improperly disposing of a human body.

Police were called to the busy Kendall Square area about an unusual bag. Officials found the remains in a duffel bag at an apartment building on Binney Street. Suvelliance videos led the investigators to Kendall Crossing Apartments where they discovered a second bag with more human remains in a common area, Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan confirmed.

The remains could all belong to the same victim.

That person arrested in relations to this horrendous find is expected to be arraigned Monday.

The Massachusetts State Police is assisting the Cambridge Police and Ryan's office with the investigation.

Stay with necn as more details emerge. 


Photo Credit: necn

Student Dies After Fall in Rome

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A University of Iowa student from west suburban Glen Ellyn died after seriously injuring himself in a fall in January while studying abroad in Rome, Italy.

Andrew Mogni, 20, suffered “serious injuries” in the early morning fall on Jan. 14, the university said.

Mogni, of Glen Ellyn, was pronounced dead at Northwestern Memorial Hospital Sunday at 11:25 a.m., the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.

University officials said earlier the fall “is thought to be an accident, but police are investigating.”

He was transported to Northwestern Hospital from Rome via air ambulance on March 20, according to the university.

Mogni was a third-year finance major and had arrived in Rome for a semester at John Cabot University in Trastevere.



Photo Credit: University of Iowa

Tsarnaev Deliberations to Begin

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The trial has gone on for weeks, and now, Monday's closing arguments will attempt to persuade jurors about the guilt of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev in the Boston Marathon bombings.

"I'm not going to let that trial interrupt my life, I'm trying to move on from it," said Marc Fucarile, a spectator who was badly injured while supporting a friend at the marathon. "I literally was standing over the bomb when it went off, and then I was thrown to a location."

In his wheelchair, Fucarile has attended the trial and sat near Tsarnaev.

"It's emotional in there, especially with all of the hearing the testimony of people you've became friends with and hearing their stories and their recovery over again, and the ones we lost, there are the ones we'd like to remember," he said.

"It was a crime that was proven quite clearly in all aspects, in terms of the involvement of these individuals," said NECN legal editor Randy Chapman. "So I don't expect there's going to be any real difficulty in the jury reaching the verdict in many of the charges."

There's no question Dzhokhar Tsarnaev participated in the bombing. What is an issue is how significant was his role in the planning and execution of the attack.

"Simply because the defendant's lawyer in an opening statement, indicated that the defendant was responsible, does not obviate the government's obligation to prove the crime," said Chapman.

As the verdict approaches, Fucarile says Tsarnaev's punishment has already begun.

"He looks like he's been staring at a wall for a long time, so it's actually kind of rewarding, you know, to see him not looking the healthiest," said Fucarile.

Chapman says he believes Tsarnaev will be found guilty. Finding him guilty on all charges will be important, however, because this could affect if he gets the death penalty.



Photo Credit: AP

Underground Fire Causes Power Outages

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Thousands of customers in Hartford and West Hartford started their Easter in the dark after an underground fire in Hartford early Sunday morning and many remain without power Sunday night.

At the height of the outages, 13,000 Eversource customers were without power. The numbers fluctuated throughout the day. As of 2:26 p.m., 1,599 remained without power in Hartford and 31 customers in West Hartford still didn't have power, according to the Eversource outage map. By 3:12 p.m., power outages surged to 3,902 in Hartford and 489 in West Hartford. As of 11 p.m., outages were back up to 3,827 in West Hartford and 9,165 in Hartford.

Fire crews responded to the 400 block of Farmington Avenue near the Sherman Street intersection in Hartford at about 12:10 a.m. Sunday after smoke was reported coming out of a manhole.

According to Hartford Deputy Fire Chief Peter Towey, an explosion occurred, causing a fire to break out in an underground utility vault. Thick, dark smoke could be seen billowing out Sunday morning as flames melted several underground cables. 

"We isolated the area," Towey said Sunday morning. "Eversource was able to shut down service to the vault, and the fire at this point has been extinguished, minus some smoldering which we’re working on addressing at this time.”

Eversource shut down power to the surrounding neighborhoods in Hartford and West Hartford, which affected some restaurants in Hartford and West Hartford Center. As crews assessed the damage, they realized it would take longer than first thought to get the power back on. After originally predicting the power would be back on by 11 a.m., Eversource updated the estimated time of restoration to 9 p.m. However, as of 11 p.m. thousands were still without power.

While neighbors didn't necessarily see or hear the fire and explosion, they felt the effects with the long duration power outage.

"Very stressful. Very, very stressful, " Walter Scott, of Hartford, said.

The power outages could mean a lot of money lost and holiday food inventory wasted for restaurants affected that were expecting a surge in customers for Easter. If you had plans to eat with your family in West Hartford Center, many of the restaurants are closed because of the power problem. One of them was A'vert Brasserie on LaSalle Road in West Hartford, which was fully booked with reservations for brunch and dinner and had to shut down the restaurant and cancel all reservations due to the issue.

The owner of a 24-hour Subway in the area said he stood to lose $4,000 between lost revenue and spoiled food.

“I’m really upset because we have a busy night on Saturday and now I’m losing that too because of power," Subway owner Raj Patel said.

Some got ready for Sunday services in the dark during the morning outages.

“I had to get a candle and a flashlight out," Icina Nicholas, of Hartford, said. "....I need to get breakfast. My milk is spoiled. So, I have to take it out, everything I have to throw out.”

Several blocks of Farmington Ave. in Hartford remain closed to give crews the space they need to make repairs.

Firefighters Deliver Baby Boy on Easter Sunday

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It will be an Easter Sunday one family will never forget after firefighters helped deliver a mother's baby boy in a hospital-bound fire truck in the wee hours of the morning.

Darrin Robert Yardley Jr. was due on April 5, so his family was prepared, but they weren't expecting it to happen at 1:37 a.m. along the highway.

It all started at 12:30 a.m. Sunday when Darrin and Melanie Yardley left Cheshire at 12:30 a.m. Melanie began having contractions quickly and it was hard to sit, so she had her husband, Darrin pull over on the side of Interstate 91 south. They stopped and called 911, parked near exit 9.

North Haven firefighters responded to the call of a woman in labor on the highway at about 1:12 a.m. Melanie was in the back of the car "in significant distress" when firefighters arrived, according to a news release from the department.

An AMR ambulance arrived to rush Melanie to the hospital, but it was stuck on the other side of the highway. The Yardleys' little guy just couldn't wait, so firefighters loaded her up in their rescue truck. Three firefighters, two EMTs and a paramedic rode with mom as they rushed to Yale-New Haven Hospital. The child was still in a hurry to enter the world and they helped deliver a healthy baby boy in the back of the truck as they neared exit 2 close to the New Haven hospital.

Darrin and Melanie Yardley and their 6-year-old daughter, Marissa were happy to welcome a little Darrin to their family on Easter. Marissa is at home after meeting her baby brother Sunday morning. Darrin said she was thrilled to hold him and be a big sister.

Darrin Yardley said the firefighters' response impressed him.

"God bless them," he said. "Those guys were awesome."

Mom, dad and the baby are happy and healthy at the hospital and are expected to go home on Tuesday.



Photo Credit: Yardley family

Pesky Spring Guest Buzzes Obama's Easter Egg Roll

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In a tradition that stretches back to 1878, the White House has opened its lawn to more than 35,000 people as part of the annual White House Easter Egg Roll on Monday.

The event was briefly interrupted by a flying, buzzing harbinger of spring.

Squeals and shrieks from a clump of agitated children interrupted President Obama's reading of his childhood favorite, Maurice Sendak's "Where the Wild Things Are," at the storytime stage, one of several outdoor stations at an event that has grown into far more than colored eggs.

Obama looked up to see what the trouble was.

"Oh no, it's a bee!" he said, laughing, then quickly tried to reassure the kids. "That's OK guys, bees are good. They won't land on you. They won't sting you."

In fact, helping honeybees and other beleaguered pollinators survive is a goal of Obama's administration. Elsewhere at the event, children were given donated Burpee garden seeds to encourage them to plant bee-friendly habitats.

But the kids ducking and dodging in their hay-bale seats had no interest in being part of this bee's habitat. "Scary!" one of them shouted.

Obama — who had just led the children through imitations of the roaring, teeth-gnashing and eye-rolling of the storybook's monsters, finally got them settled down after a reminder that, "You're not supposed to be scared of bees when you're Wild Things."

Officials said more than 35,000 people took part in the 137th egg roll, an event that began when President Rutherford B. Hayes opened the White House grounds to local children for egg rolling in 1878.

Toddler boys in straw fedoras and little girls in spring dresses with bright sashes romped on the lawn. One girl, in pants, turned cartwheels while waiting her turn to roll a wooden egg.

Eleven-year-old Madison Knight, decked out in sequined rabbit ears, said she'd never heard of egg rolling before — only egg hunting — but was game to try the White House tradition.

Madison and her 9-year-old friend Kyla Newkirk, both from Durham, North Carolina, agreed that wasn't the most exciting part of the day, however. Their anticipated highlight? "Seeing the president!" Madison said, as she waited for Obama, first lady Michelle Obama and a giant Easter Bunny to emerge on the South Portico to officially start the day.

The egg roll tradition involves children lining up to use wooden spoons to push the brightly painted eggs a short distance across the grass, in a loosely defined race to the finish line. It's harder than it sounds — especially for toddlers — and strategies range from nudging, poking and sideswiping the eggs to a scooping motion that sometimes sends them flying in unexpected directions.

The Obamas stopped by to give encouragement. Michelle Obama leaned over to gently help one youngster get his egg moving again in mid-race. Obama offered high-fives, handshakes and hugs to kids and their parents. "Good job, guys," he said.

The Obamas used the event to tout the fifth anniversary of the first lady's campaign to get kids to eat well and exercise. The girl group Fifth Harmony appeared with a not-so-healthy-looking cake to sing "Happy Birthday" to the "Let's Move!" effort.

This year, the #GimmeFive theme was added, encouraging children to come up with five ways live healthier lives and to share them on social media.

Making his rounds, Obama joined kids shooting baskets with Washington Wizards players and other athletes, missing his first shot but sinking the second.

Then he took on tennis star Caroline Wozniacki in a doubles game with kids on a mini-court. Obama whooped when he scored against the Danish pro.

"Got to work on those volleys," he teased, adding, "I'm a competitor."

Then she served, and the president missed the return.



Photo Credit: AP
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Black Ice, Fog Cause Problems on Morning Commute

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Black ice, slippery roads and fog caused problems on the morning commute on Monday morning.

There were crashes in Torrington and New Hartford along Routes 8 and 202 due to slippery roads. DOT crews were called to sand the roads.

A North Carolina man died after a car he was a passenger in crashed overnight on Route 8 north. It's unknown if weather was a factor, but DOT crews responded.

A school bus crashed and rolled over on its side on Interstate 384 west in Manchester. There were no students aboard and its unknown if the driver was injured. It's unknown whether the road conditions were a factor, but Department of Transportation officials were treating the road. It was the second crash of the morning there within minutes of the first.

Scattered fog reduced visibility in parts of the state, particularly on the I-84 corridor between Danbury and Union, as well as over the Thames under the Gold Star Bridge in Groton and over the Housatonic River and under the Sikorsky Bridge between Stratford and Milford. There were delays on I-84 in Waterbury after a two-car crash near exit 25A, which has since been cleared from the highway.

Tolland County faced subfreezing temperatures, conditions that produced some black ice in areas of the state.

The Chester-Hadlyme Ferry is closed Monday due to mechanical problems and the Rocky Hill-Glastonbury Ferry is also closed because of flooding, according to the DOT.



Photo Credit: DOT

School Bus Rolls Over on I-384 West in Manchester

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A school bus crashed and rolled over Monday morning on Interstate 384 westbound near exit 2 in Manchester, according to state police.

No kids were on the bus at the time. There is no word on whether the driver was injured or how badly.

Officials said the front end of the bus appears to have caught on fire.

It was the second crash to happen within minutes just after 6:15 a.m. near exit 2.

The Department of Transportation was called to the scene to treat the highway for slippery conditions.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Family Poisoned on Vacation

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The Department of Justice has launched a criminal investigation into the company that may have sprayed a potentially lethal pesticide, poisoning a Delaware family of four while they vacationed in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Steve Esmond and his two teenage sons remain hospitalized in Philadelphia after suddenly falling ill March 20 in Cruz Bay, St. John. Esmond's wife, Dr. Theresa Devine, has been was released and is now recovering.

"Stephen Esmond is improving and stable," a family spokesperson said. "The minor boys remain in critical condition. They are confident in their medical professionals and are hopeful for a full recovery." 

The Esmond family had stayed in a luxury villa that was located directly above a property that was recently sprayed for bugs, according to the rental agency Sea Glass Vacations. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said in a March news release that the presence of the highly toxic chemical methyl bromide may have sickened the family.

Now, the Justice Department is looking into whether a branch of Terminix, the company responsible for the fumigation, used the toxin, according to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing. 

The use of the pesticide, which can cause damage to the central nervous system and respiratory system, is illegal indoors in both the U.S. and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“No one in this day and age should be using methyl bromide indoors,” Judith Enck, EPA regional administrator, told NBC's "Today" show.

Terminix expressed its concern for the sickened family and vowed to cooperate with the government in the investigation. 

“First and foremost, the family is in our thoughts and prayers,” a Terminix spokesperson said in a statement. “We're cooperating with authorities in their investigation, and we're conducting our own thorough internal investigation.”

Final test results in the investigation are expected next week.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that the family was vacationing in St. Martin. It was in St. John.


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Route 8 Reopens After Fatal Rollover Crash

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Route 8 North has reopened in Shelton after a fatal rollover crash Monday that killed a 20-year-old passenger from North Carolina.

Jose Gutierrez, 29, of Bridgeport, was traveling at a high rate of speed when his 2000 Acura spun out on the highway, state police said. The car lost control and hit the Jersey barrier on the highway, went up an embankment and struck a tree on the right shoulder at about 1:45 a.m. Backseat passenger Fausto Lidio Rivera, 20, of Greenville, North Carolina, was thrown 25 feet from the vehicle upon the collision and pronounced dead on scene at about 1:57 a.m..

Gutierrez and another passenger. Anthony Tenn, 29, of Stratford, were trapped and firefighters had to pull them from the car. They were transported to Bridgeport Hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries and are listed in moderate to serious condition.

Rivera's family has been notified.

It's unknown whenter rivera or Tenn were wearing seatbelts, but Gutierrez did have a shoulder seatbelt on at the time of the crash, state police said.

The damaged car was towed to state police Troop I barracks in Bethany.

The highway was shut down between exits 13 and 14 for several hours and traffic was detoured off exit 13. Authorities originally said the highway would be closed into the evening, but it has reopened and there are some residual delays.

State police and the Department of Transportation responded to the scene. The crash remains under investigation.



Photo Credit: William DAmico
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