Police arrest suspect in car crash that killed 96-year-old woman in Griswold – NBC Connecticut

A man accused of causing a crash in Griswold over the weekend that killed a 96-year-old woman has been arrested and ordered to pay a $1.5 million fine.

When state police arrived at the intersection of Taylor Hill Road and Oakville Road in Griswold around 4:46 p.m. on Sunday, they found an abandoned gold Audi with front-end damage and a GMC Acadia with deployed airbags, according to the warrant.

Charlotte Degrado, 96, was sitting in the back seat of the GMC and complained of severe back pain, according to the arrest warrant.

An ambulance arrived and took Delgado to William Backus Hospital, where she died at 5:49 p.m., according to police.

The driver of the GMC told state police he was stopped at a stop sign at the intersection when a speeding vehicle struck the side of his vehicle, the arrest warrant states.

A witness told state police that the Audi was traveling about 60 miles per hour when it drove through the intersection without stopping and struck the SUV, causing it to spin out, the warrant said.

The witness took a short video of the three people getting out of the Audi and handed it over to the state police.

Other witnesses also gave the police descriptions of people who had also fled from the Audi.

When police checked the interior of the Audi, they found a bottle of prescription medication intended for 35-year-old Franklin Post, an unmarked pill bottle, marijuana paraphernalia and unopened alcoholic beverages, according to state police.

State police found a person suspected of fleeing the vehicle and took him to William Backus Hospital.

Post was found in a wooded area near East Main Street in Jewett City and admitted to recently smoking marijuana and falling asleep in the front seat, the warrant said.

According to police, Post had also tampered with the ankle bracelet he had been given by the court, and he was found to be in possession of nearly $5,000 in cash and pills believed to contain fentanyl.

He was taken to William Backus Hospital and refused to provide blood, breath and urine samples or to participate in questioning, the arrest warrant states.

Post was charged with driving under the influence, fleeing the scene, criminal damage, violating conditions of release, interference, possession of a controlled substance and possession with intent to sell.

Initially held on $1 million bail, bail was later increased to $1.5 million. Post is due in court on July 12.