Windsor Locks Police Officer Michael Koistinen rushed out of the Windsor Locks Town Hall on Wednesday night without saying a word after police decided to fire him from the force, immediately.
Koistinen is accused of driving the vehicle that struck and killed Henry Dang, 15, just after midnight on Oct. 30. An arrest warrant shows Koistinen had been drinking for hours before the crash and officers at the scene didn't do a blood alcohol test.
Koistinen attorneys didn't have much to say on Wednesday night when the Windsor Locks Police Commission went behind closed doors to discuss Koistinen's fate as a police officer.
"Obviously there's a young man's family that lost a 15-year-old, so that's the worst part, now you have to worry about what it does to the police department and what we have to do to come back as strong as ever," said Police Commission Chairman Neal Cunningham.
After hearing from both sides, the commission voted unanimously to fire Koistinen, immediately.
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"It's got to the point now where it's being a big cover up," said Pat Ruggiero, who used to sit on the Police Commission.
Koistinen has been charged with first-degree manslaughter and the arrest warrant says Koistinen had been drinking for hours before the crash. Koistinen's father is a sergeant on the force and the warrant says he also responded to the scene.
Because police at the scene didn't do a blood alcohol test, many in Windsor Locks questioned how the crash was investigated, both by the responding officers and Koistinen's father.
"It's tragic enough that it happened, but for Officer Koistinen to try to cover it up, it's adding insult to injury for the Dang family," Cathy Ferrari, of Windsor Locks, said.
The Police Commission also voted on Wednesday to hire an outside attorney to conduct an independent investigation into the crash and how it was handled.
If the investigation shows any wrongdoing, the Police Commission says it's prepared to take action.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
