The suspect in a fatal shooting on Interstate 691 in Meriden faced a judge Wednesday, one day after being arrested on a murder charge.
William Lucky, 32, of North Haven, is accused of shooting and killing 49-year-old Scott Kracke on I-691 East on Jan. 14.
State police responded to the scene for a disturbance around 8 p.m. that night and found Kracke suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Kracke later died at the hospital, police said. State police described the shooting as a road-rage incident.
Lucky is a correction officer for the State of Connecticut.
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According to the arrest warrant, Lucky told police that he drove away from the scene because he had a child in his vehicle and was "afraid the other party would come after him." He said he had a gun with him at the time and later handed it over to authorities.
State police said Kracke and Lucky got out of their vehicles and confronted each other. Witnesses told police that Lucky took out a firearm and started shooting, according to the arrest warrant.
Lucky then fled the scene and later went to the Hamden Police Department to report the incident.
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According to the warrant, Kracke's fianceé was in the pickup truck with him at the time of the incident. She told police a dark-colored sedan cut in front of them and that Kracke then cut in front of the sedan and brake-checked the car. It was at that point that the vehicles pulled to the side of the highway and the men got out of their vehicles. She said she never heard shots, but when she got out of the truck, saw Kracke lying on the ground.
According to the warrant, Lucky's passenger, the mother of the child in the car, told police the pickup almost struck their car and that Lucky honked the horn. She said the truck stopped in front of them and that Lucky stopped behind the truck. She said the driver of the pickup got out of the vehicle, yelled, and ran towards their car. She said Lucky got out of the car and then she heard gunshots. The woman told police Lucky started crying and said "I didn't want to do this."
Officers found 18 shell casings at the scene. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that Kracke died from gunshot wounds to his head, torso and extremities, and his death was ruled a homicide.
Lucky was placed on paid administrative leave on Jan. 19 pending the outcome of the Department of Correction and State Police investigation.
After his appearance at Meriden Superior Court on Wednesday, Lucky's attorney said his client acted in self-defense and was trying to protect his child at the time of the shooting.
“If someone comes on you, and you’re afraid for your life, the law allows you to protect yourself. And by the way, I think it will come out that he had a baby in a car seat behind him. So, I’m gonna protect my baby against anyone who’s gonna try and kill me,” said Michael Hillis, Lucky's attorney.
Hillis said Lucky has no criminal record.
"This kid’s got a stellar record. He doesn’t belong here. The state has to do what the state has to do, and I understand that, but I’ve known him since he was 15 and he’s been a correctional officer for five years, and now he’s just gonna waste time in jail while we prepare the self defense,” he said.
The judge Wednesday kept Lucky's bond at $2.5 million. He will be back in court on Feb. 14.
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