CROMWELL, Conn. — A Plainville man faces DUI and evading charges after fleeing the scene of a crash in Cromwell on Wednesday morning, according to a release from Connecticut State Police.
When apprehended later that day, the man told state police he didn’t remember the crash at all.
Cesar Estrada, 36, has been charged with illegal operation of a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol/drugs (second offense), failure to maintain proper lane and two counts of evading responsibility, according to state police.
Around 10:45 a.m. on Wednesday, state police from Troop H in Hartford reported to Interstate 91 northbound prior to Exit 22 for an evading motor vehicle crash. State police said an initial investigation found that a dark colored Nissan sedan was merging onto I-91 north from Exit 21 and collided with a dump truck in the right lane.
The collision caused the driver of the Nissan, later discovered to be Estrada, to lose control, and Estrada's vehicle collided with a pickup truck in the center lane, according to state police, who said the Nissan evaded the scene of the crash and continued north on I-91.
Not long after, the Nissan was discovered on the right shoulder of I-91 north by Exit 23 unoccupied, state police said. Troopers contacted its owner, who told them the vehicle was last driven by Estrada; the owner told the troopers Estrada was with her at a Middletown clinic, according to state police.
Troopers contacted both the owner and Estrada at the clinic, and Estrada was identified by his driver’s license, state police said.
Estrada told troopers he was the sole occupant of the Nissan earlier that morning but that he did not recall being in a crash; he also said he wasn’t injured.
State police said that during their interaction with Estrada, they noticed visible signs of impairment, and he failed to perform Standardized Field Sobriety Testing to standard. Estrada was arrested and taken to Troop H for processing.
He was released on a $2,500 bond, state police said, and will appear in Middletown Superior Court on July 22.
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Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer and writer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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