Route 8 North Reopens in Shelton After Fatal Rollover Crash

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.

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