Danbury Resident Charged After Wrong-Way Crash on I-84 in Newtown

If you were wondering why I-84 East was a parking lot this morning, the latest in a rash of wrong-way crashes on Connecticut roadways occurred in Newtown. Connecticut State Police-Troop A, Southbury has just announced that a Danbury resident is facing numerous charges following the incident.

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According to CSP Troop A, at 2:13AM this morning, October 31, 2022, Troopers responded to a head-on collision involving a wrong-way driver and a tractor trailer on the Eastbound side of I-84 near Exit 9 in Newtown. Responding troopers found both operators outside of their vehicles, and suspected that the accused operator of the wrong-way vehicle was under the influence of alcohol.

The accused, 41 year old Crystal Smith of Danbury, reportedly refused to complete Standard Field Sobriety Testing, and was taken into custody. Smith suffered minor injuries, but the tractor trailer operator, Oroyalya Snead, 43 of Ozone Park, NY, avoided injury. Smith's 2012 GMC Terrain and Snead's FRT TT were both towed from the scene. I-84 Eastbound was closed following the incident to repair a reported 100 feet of DOT wire-rope guard rail which was wiped out by Snead's TT post-collision. Most lanes of 84 Eastbound were reopened for travel by 7:30AM.

Smith was placed into custody, and transported to Troop A for processing. Smith was charged with Reckless Endangerment 2nd, Driving the Wrong Way, and operating Under the Influence. Smith was released on a $5,000 Cash/Surety bond, and is scheduled to appear in Danbury Superior Court on November 15, 2022.

Unfortunately, 2022 seems to be the year of wrong-way drivers in Connecticut.