Child Killed In Car Crash In Waterbury; Driver Arrested On DUI

WATERBURY, CT — The death of a six-year-old Waterbury girl — who was struck and killed Sunday night in a multi-vehicle car crash — has led police to an arrest. Luis Loja, 39, is in custody and awaiting arraignment on charges related to driving under the influence, manslaughter and evading responsibility in a car accident resulting in death, police said.

According to a statement from the Waterbury Police Department, Loja was driving in the area 1037 Baldwin Street when he rear-ended a Honda CRV that was parked on the northbound lane of Baldwin Street Sunday night.

The crash occurred at 9:34 pm, around the same time as the city's fireworks display was going off.

"The impact pushed the Honda forward striking two pedestrians between it and a third parked vehicle," investigators determined. One of the pedestrians, a six-year-old girl, was pronounced dead less than hour after the crash.

The second pedestrian is described as a 29-year-old woman. She remains hospitalized with "serious life threatening injuries," police said.

The woman and child who were caught between the two cars have not been named. The department's news release did not clarify if they are connected or related to each other.

After the crash, Loja walked away from the area, but he was followed by witnesses who "convinced him to return to the accident scene," police said.

Investigators allege that Loja was "impaired by alcoholic beverage at the time of this accident." He is being held on a $750,000 bond.