A 19-year-old has been charged with negligent homicide and distracted driving after a fatal crash on Interstate 84 east in Newtown in May.
According to Connecticut State Police, on May 30, 2017, Michael Vitti, of Sandy Hook, was driving on I-84 east near exit 11 when he struck 64-year-old Gerard Mauskapf, of Red Hook, New York. Police said that Mauskapf had pulled over on the right shoulder and was out of the car when the crash happened.
EMS personnel pronounced Mauskapf dead at the scene, according to state police.
Investigators determined that Vitti became distracted while he was driving and his car drifted into the right shoulder where he hit Mauskapf. Police did not specify what distracted Vitti, but said it was not a cell phone.
Vitti turned himself into police on Monday. He was charged with negligent homicide with a motor vehicle, failure to drive in a proper lane, and distracted driving.
He was released on a $1,500 bond and is due in court on March 20.
