STONINGTON, Conn. — A Boston man was killed and in a multi-vehicle crash that shut down I-95 in Stonington for several hours on Sunday.
Connecticut State Police say the crash occurred around 3:45 p.m. when 30-year-old Leander Ortega of Boston tried to pass two other vehicles on the right as he was driving north on the highway near exit 91. Police say Ortega side-swiped one car he was passing and rear-ending another car. The car he side-swiped ran into the median and hit a tree. Ortega's car also went into the median where police say it came to an "uncontrolled final rest upon colliding with a medium diameter tree, fusing to and wrapping around the tree."
Ortega was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the car he side-swiped, from Cranston, R.I., complained of severe stomach pain and was taken to L+M Hospital in New London. Three young children in her car had no reported injuries but were also taken to the hospital for observation.
No other injuries were reported. The highway was shut down for several hours in both directions while police gathered evidence and had the vehicles removed.
Anyone with information about this crash is asked to call CT State Police Troop E in Montville at 860-848-6500.
