NORWICH/WEST HARTFORD, CT — State police said a 24-year-old West Hartford motorist slammed into a disabled vehicle on the side of Route 2 in Norwich Tuesday.
While the West Hartford man wasn’t hurt in the crash, the accident seriously injured a 29-year-old Rhode Island man who was changing a tire in the shoulder of the state highway.
The accident happened Tuesday at about 4:26 p.m. on Route 2 eastbound in Norwich.
According to police, a gold 1993 Toyota Corolla with Rhode Island plates was disabled in the right shoulder of the highway with a flat tire.
Police said both vehicle occupants were outside the vehicle attempting to take the flat tire off the car’s left, rear side.
That’s when police said a black, 2005 Nissan Altima operated by the West Hartford man was traveling east on Route 2 in the right lane.
State police said the Nissan “exited the roadway to the right and failed to maintain its established lane.”
As a result, the Nissan struck the rear of the Toyota, as well as one of the occupants trying to change the tire, police said.
Meanwhile, the Toyota burst into flames after the collision, wrote police in an accident report.
One of the pedestrians, identified as a 28-year-old male from Pawtucket, R.I., sustained “serious injuries” and was rushed to The William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich.
From there, he was transported to the St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport, police said.
The other vehicle occupant, identified as a 28-year-old Pawtucket, R.I., man, had only minor injuries, police said.
Police said the West Hartford motorist behind the wheel of the car that slammed into the Toyota was uninjured.
State police said the incident is still under investigation and anyone with information on the crash is asked to contact Trooper Timothy Wengloski at 860-848-6500.