DUI West Hartford Man Accused Of Crashing Into Berlin Work Zone: Police

BERLIN/WEST HARTFORD, CT — A West Hartford man police said was intoxicated is accused of plowing into a state Department of Transportation vehicle at a Berlin construction site on Route 9 Thursday night.

According to the Connecticut State Police Friday, Brian Ayers, 46, of West Hartford, was charged with endangering highway workers, illegal operation of a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol/drugs in a construction zone, failure to maintain the proper lane in a construction zone, and first-degree reckless endangerment.

Ayers was released on $5,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in New Britain Superior Court July 31.

According to state police, at about 9:17 p.m. Thursday, troopers assigned to a construction project on Route 9 North near Exit 34 in Berlin were notified that a DOT vehicle was rear-ended by another motorist there.

Police said the left lane of Route 9 northbound and the Exit 34 off-ramp were closed for this project.

That's when a vehicle traveling north in the right lane veered left inside the construction pattern and collided with the rear end of a parked DOT vehicle, which had actively displayed emergency safety lighting, police said.

Two troopers working the construction site responded, and state police at Troop H in Hartford were advised of the accident via radio, and Troop H personnel also responded.

The DOT supervisor reported minor pain following the collision and was evaluated by emergency medical services on scene, state police said.

The DOT supervisor ultimately refused medical transport, and the other operator reported no injuries, police said.

The operator who struck the DOT supervisor's vehicle was identified as Ayers.

According to police, Ayers was exhibiting "clear signs of impairment" on scene, including the odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from him, an open alcoholic container in the vehicle, and "he was extremely unsteady on his feet."

Ayers was subjected to a field sobriety test, and he failed, police said.

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