Candles and teddy bears were placed on Dixwell Avenue near Munson Street in New Haven to mark the spot where a young father of two crashed his motorcycle and eventually lost his life.
Maurice Adams, 27, of New Haven, crashed his motorcycle early Saturday morning after he was involved in a chase with a Hamden police vehicle, witnesses said.
Witness say they saw Adams being pursued by Hamden police on Dixwell Avenue when Adams' bike locked up and he fell.
The officer then allegedly drove up to Adams, saw him on the ground and fled the scene.
"Hamden Police came right after him," said a witness who only wanted to go by his first name Nick, "They seen him fall. As soon as they seen him fall, they turned off their lights, turned two corners, and went back to wherever they were going they never stopped or anything."
Nick said he ran over to Adams to check on him and called 911.
"I was talking to him and he looked at me and was just moaning, and I said, 'Everything is going to be OK. They're on their way,'" said Nick.
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State Police confirm they are investigating a fatal crash but would not release any further information.
On Wednesday, police sent out a news release stating that Adams lost control as the bike approached the fork in the road and the bike went down.
NBC Connecticut reached out to Hamden Police, the Hamden mayor and city council officials multiple times and did not hear back on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Chief Thomas J. Wydra released a statement:
"I have directed the Hamden Police Department Ethics and Integrity Unit to conduct a comprehensive and thorough internal investigation to determine if any department policies, rules, or regulations were violated by the police personnel who were involved in a brief motor vehicle pursuit with a motorcycle for motor vehicle violations on Dixwell Avenue on August 17th. It is believed that the pursued motorcycle is the same one that was eventually involved in an accident that occurred in the area of Dixwell Avenue and Munson Street in New Haven a short time later, and resulted in the unfortunate death of the operator. I want to offer my sincere condolences and prayers to the family of the victim."
"Critical components of the investigation will be the determination of whether or not the motorcycle was being actively pursued at the time of the accident, whether the pursuit was justified, as well as an examination of the overall actions and conduct of the police personnel throughout the entire incident." I understand that the Connecticut State Police is conducting the motor vehicle accident investigation. The Hamden Police Department will do everything possible to cooperate with that investigation."
"In an effort to protect the integrity and objectiveness of the internal investigation process, there will be no further comment at this time."
Adams' father, Bruce Corwell, said that he just wants to know what happened.
He has many questions that have gone unanswered and has not heard much from police officials since the crash, he said.
Corwell said that he does not even know the simplest of details.
"If I didn't view his body for myself; that's the only confirmation (of the accident) I can make," said Corwell. "Other than that, I don't know the time, place, weather, or who was there, or how he left here."
The grieving father also questioned how he is supposed to write an obituary for his son if he doesn't even know how he died.
