Man, 25, Accused Of Causing Berlin Crash That Killed Chaplain: Police

BERLIN, CT — A 25-year-old New Britain man was taken into state police custody Wednesday for his role in a September 2024 crash on Route 9 in Berlin that killed a beloved state police chaplain.

State police said Wednesday that Gabriel Fegueroa, 25, of New Britain, was charged with negligent homicide with a motor vehicle, evading responsibility for a crash that resulted in death, and failure to maintain proper lane.

According to police, Figueroa was held on a $100,000 court-set bond and was scheduled to appear at New Britain Superior Court later on Wednesday, July 23.

Police said Figueroa turned himself into Troop H in Hartford following a warrant for his arrest.

The warrant stemmed from a Sept. 18, 2024, fatal motor vehicle accident investigation.

That crash claimed the life of a 65-year-old Connecticut State Police chaplain from Cromwell who was riding a motorcycle.

"The investigation determined that Figueroa caused the collision and initially evaded the scene of the accident," wrote state police in a statement.

According to state police, the Rev. Paul David Kramplitz, 65, of Court Street, Cromwell, was killed after the Harley-Davidson motorcycle he was operating collided with Figueroa's vehicle.

Kramplitz was riding in the left lane of two on Route 9 North in Berlin near Exit 33, police said in an accident report.

Meanwhile, police said a 2006 Chevrolet Impala being driven by Figueroa was traveling in the right lane of Route 9, in front of the motorcycle.

According to the report, the Impala at 4:14 p.m. "encroached into the left lane and collided" with the Harley-Davidson.

As a result of the collision, Kramplitz was thrown from his motorcycle, which ended up on the left shoulder, police said in the report.

Police said he suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken to New Britain Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The driver of the Impala, later identified as Figueroa, was not injured and declined medical treatment.

For more information on the case, click on this link.

From Sept. 19: 'Police Chaplain Mourned After Motorcycle Crash In Berlin: UPDATE'