Manslaughter Charge Filed In 2024 Rollover Crash In Willington

WILLINGTON, CT — State police have made an arrest in connection with a fatal crash on Route 32 last spring.

At 7:56 p.m. Wednesday, 22-year-old Louis Marcantonio, of Bethel, was located at his residence and taken into custody via a warrant, state police said. The crash took place on April 27, records show.

Marcantonio was transported to the state police Troop C barracks and charged with first-degree manslaughter, reckless driving four counts of first-degree reckless endangerment (one for each passenger in his vehicle) and failure to maintain the proper lane.

Marcantonio was released on a court-set $35,000 bond and is scheduled for arraignment in Rockville Superior Court on April 8, records show.

According to the arrest warrant, at 10:12 p.m. on April 27, Marcantonio was driving a 2007 Subaru Legacy south on Route 32. He approached a curve along the 200 block, lot control of the car and hit a mailbox as the car began to roll. It rolled three-and-a-half times before coming to a final rest on the northbound side of the road, according to the warrant.

The "unrestrained" center rear passenger, identified as 19-year-old Maria Cardoso Da Mata, was ejected through the rear window and fell onto the road. She was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later, state police said in the warrant.

State police determined that the crash was a result of driver error, but a blood test administered at an area hospital showed that Marcantonio was not intoxicated, according to the warrant. The blood alcohol level showed .071, below the Connecticut standard of .08 for drunken driving, according to the warrant. Drugs were not involved, according to the warrant.

A fire had started in the engine compartment after the crash, but was extinguished before spreading, according to the warrant.