North Haven Man Charged In Branford Hit-And-Run Bike Accident

BRANFORD, CT - A 34-year-old man from North Haven is facing charges in connection with an evading motor vehicle crash involving his truck striking a bicyclist that caused serious injuries on East Main Street and Featherbed Lane in Branford on Nov. 4.

Patricia Criscuolo, 52, was riding her bicycle on East Main Street when she was struck by a white Ford truck.

The investigation revealed that Stephen Irish was the operator of the truck.

The truck was discovered weeks later by a woman in a wooded section of Hamden, who called police.

With assistance from the South Central Connecticut Traffic Unit, Branford police secured an arrest warrant for Irish. Shortly before 2 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 28, Branford police detectives arrested Irish as he left his North Haven home.

Irish was charged with evading responsibility with physical injury, tampering with physical evidence, and attempting to make payment with a revoked payment card. Irish was held on a $75,000 bond pending an appearance in New Haven Superior Court.

Patricia Criscuolo suffered a broken neck, back, 11 broken ribs, broken arm and a sheltered pelvis in the accident.

She is an avid runner, passionate about working out at gym. She is the mother of three sons.

She is still going through extensive rehabilitation, her son Gary Criscuolo told Patch.

A GoFundMe page to help her family pay her medical bills has raised close to $12,000.