The Rhode Island man accused of causing the crash that killed a mother and her teenage son on Interstate 395 in Montville last September appeared in court Tuesday.
Derion Coker, a 29-year-old of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, said he had been drinking at a casino before the crash and sent a text to someone saying he was “lit," according to an arrest warrant.
Connecticut State Police arrested Coker in connection with the crash on Sept. 16 that killed 17-year-old Tyshon Ozzie Harper and 33-year-old Jamie Krajewski, both of Norwich.
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Coker has been charged with operating under the influence and two counts of second-degree manslaughter with a motor vehicle. A judge continued his case, and his next hearing is scheduled for July.
Krajewski and Harper, who was a senior at Norwich Free Academy, were standing outside of their vehicle when they were struck just before 11:30 p.m., according to state police.
“They were just two beautiful people. Jamie was an amazing mother. She was there for everything. She was a single mom of five kids," said Roland Krajewski, Jamie's younger brother and Tyshon's uncle.
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“Tyshon was just an innocent kid. He was good - helped raise his siblings, played sports his whole life. He mostly stayed inside and played a father role for him and his siblings," he continued.
The mother and son were pulled over in the shoulder near exit 9 on I-395 North to help another driver whose car had broken down. State police said Coker crossed over the white fog line into the right shoulder and hit the Lexus and the Buick that Harper and Krajewski were standing near.
Harper and Krajewski both died at the scene.
Coker told police that he had seen two people on the side of the road and then someone stepped out, but he could not react fast enough, according to the arrest warrant. Police noted that Coker did not appear to be slurring his words after the crash and investigators did not detect an odor of alcohol.
As police investigated, they learned that Coker had gone to a comedy show at Mohegan Sun and had three drinks of hard alcohol, two light beers and a sip from another between about 7:00 and 10:15 p.m., according to the arrest warrant.
Family members of Harper and Krajewski said they want to see increased charges in the case.
“I just really hope people think twice about drinking and driving," said Roland Krajewski. "Just really thinking about what could happen and what you could do to innocent people.”
Coker declined to speak with NBC Connecticut.
