Families of Fatal Truck Crash Victims to Weigh in During Criminal Case

BRIDGEPORT, Sept. 4, 2015 — The families of several of the victims of a fatal truck crash in Old Lyme intend to fully exercise their rights to monitor and support or object to any proposed plea bargain in the pending criminal case against the truck driver involved in the crash.

A tractor-trailer driver involved in the August 15, 2015 crash in Old Lyme, Connecticut that resulted in the deaths of two individuals and a number of other injuries is due in New London Superior Court today. Rowan A. Phillip of New Jersey, a driver for New England Motor Freight, also of New Jersey, was arrested for driving on a suspended license, reckless endangerment and felony misconduct with a motor vehicle among other charges. He has pled not guilty to the charges and is scheduled to attend a pretrial conference.

Attorney Kathleen Nastri of Koskoff, Koskoff & Bieder, P.C., who represents and is investigating claims on behalf of a number of the injured victims said, “The Connecticut Constitution allows victims of crimes to share their views on the course of a case with state prosecutors, and we believe that it would be helpful for prosecutors and the presiding judge to have a complete picture of how this misconduct has devastated so many lives.”

She noted that “the State’s Attorney’s office has been very cooperative, and we have full faith that it will handle the prosecution taking into account the scope of the effect on all of the victims.”

“This is a tragic incident involving innocent victims who were caravanning through Connecticut as part of a vacation they had planned to Martha’s Vineyard. Rather than a lifetime of fond memories, they and their families are left with devastating injuries and the anguish of losing cherished friends.”

Nastri continued, “We are currently investigating this incident on behalf of our clients in an effort to provide them some answers as to why and how this incident occurred. We, of course, have confidence in the Connecticut State Police and its investigators, so we await their results and will proceed from there.”

Koskoff, Koskoff & Bieder is nationally recognized and has achieved record verdicts for people who suffer serious personal injuries or economic harm from medical malpractice, violation of their civil or constitutional rights, dangerous products, negligence, drunk drivers, corporate or governmental abuse and commercial misconduct.