DANBURY — Two local men died in a three-car crash on Interstate 84 Sunday morning, according to state police.
Connecticut State Police identified the men who died as Danbury residents Ronald Omar Tello, 27, and Carlos Jimenez Molina, 36.
In an incident report released Monday morning, state police said the crash occurred around 6:30 a.m. Sunday. A 2008 Hyundai Tiburon was disabled in the left lane, facing oncoming traffic after crashing into a guardrail in the right shoulder, the report said.
State police said Tello and Jimenez Molina were two occupants of the Hyundai. After the crash, at least one of the passengers may have exited the vehicle, standing near its side, state police said. The incident report identified Tello as a pedestrian and Jimenez Molina as a passenger.
A 2021 Lexus RX, driven by a 55-year-old Avon man, traveling in the left lane of I-84 West near Exit 8 approached the Hyundai while a tractor-trailer was adjacent in the right lane, the report said. State police said the Lexus hit the Hyundai, forcing it to spin in front of the tractor-trailer, a Frontliner Cascadia, resulting in another collision.
State police said Tello and Jimenez Molina sustained fatal injuries. The driver of the Hyundai, a 21-year-old woman from Jamaica, N.Y., suffered minor injuries, state police said.
The Avon man and the driver of the tractor-trailer, a 55-year-old man from Davenport, Fla., were not injured, according to state police.
Police shut down the westbound side of the highway for an extensive period of time while they investigated the scene. State police said no charges have been filed in the case as the investigation is ongoing.
Anyone who witnessed this crash, has information or dashboard camera footage that was captured of the incident can contact Trooper Ilias Bistolas at 203-267-2280 or by email at Ilias.Bistolas@ct.gov.