Harwinton man charged in fatal Burlington incident: police

A 17-year-old woman fell from the bed of a pickup truck on May 21, 2023 and later died, police said.

July 15, 2024, 10:50 a.m. EDT

BURLINGTON/HARWINTON, CT – State police on Monday announced charges against a suspect believed to be responsible for the death of a teenager who fell off the curve of a pickup truck in Burlington in May 2023.

As a result, police said Monday that 19-year-old Cooper Oullette of Harwinton was charged with first-degree manslaughter and furnishing alcohol to a minor.

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Oullette was released on $50,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in New Britain Superior Court on Monday, July 15.

According to the Connecticut State Police, Troop L – Litchfield received a call from Bristol Police at approximately 1:25 a.m. on May 21, 2023, reporting that a 17-year-old female had been taken to Bristol Hospital by family members after she allegedly fell out of a pickup truck on Fieldview Drive in Burlington earlier that evening.

The driver of the pickup truck at the time of the alleged incident was positively identified as Oullette.

The Major Crime Squad of the Western District subsequently took over the investigation into the death.

After a lengthy investigation, police issued an arrest warrant for Oullette, which was issued by the New Britain Superior Court on July 11.

On Friday, July 12, around noon, Oullette turned himself in to Troop L, where he was taken into custody, processed, and charged.