Griswold, CT — A now 39-year-old Voluntown man was arrested Tuesday after he turned himself in on charges stemming from a December 8, 2024, Griswold crash that claimed the life of his passenger. A nearly year-long State Police investigation determined the man waited approximately 55 minutes before calling for help, despite understanding the severity of his passenger’s injuries.
According to the affidavit in support of an arrest warrant, at approximately 1:48 AM on Sunday, December 8, 2024, a single-vehicle collision was reported through the Quinebaug Valley Emergency Communications (QVEC) non-emergency line. Responders arrived to find a silver 2008 Honda Civic had been traveling eastbound on Hell Hollow Road just east of Stone Hill Road when it ran off the roadway to the left and collided with rocks and a tree. The operator, a then 38-year-old Voluntown man, exited the vehicle under his own power. His 60-year-old passenger, who had been staying at his residence, was seriously injured and transported to William W. Backus Hospital, Norwich, before being flown to Hartford Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
The nearly year-long State Police investigation determined the Voluntown man attempted to call his wife and four other numbers between 12:09 AM and finally calling QVEC’s non-emergency line at 1:46 AM. *His wife was reportedly sleeping and did not see the calls or texts until the morning. The calls were all connected to cell towers in the area of the collision. Text messages the man sent to his wife beginning at 12:51 AM indicated he understood the severity of his passenger’s injuries at this point, yet still delayed any attempt to call for emergency services for another 55 minutes.
The Voluntown man was processed and released on a $75,000 bond for the following charges:
- Manslaughter 2nd Degree – Reckless (C.G.S. 53a-56(a)(1))
- Intentional Cruelty to Persons (C.G.S. 53-20(a)(1))
- Failure to Drive in Proper Lane (C.G.S. 14-236)
- Evading Responsibility – Death (C.G.S. 14-224(a))
- Failure to Wear Safety Seat Belt (C.G.S. 14-100a(c)(1))
Quiet Corner Alerts maintains a policy of not revealing the names of victims or suspects unless they are actively being sought by law enforcement or pose a perceived threat to the public.
*Line added for clarity at 5:06 PM 12/11/25