A 10-year-old boy is recovering after a single-vehicle crash in Bristol, Connecticut, claimed the lives of his father and 12-year-old brother, authorities said.
The collision happened Saturday morning, Nov. 22, in the 600 block of Willis Street, according to the Bristol Police Department. Responders arrived to find one vehicle with three occupants that had struck a tree. Officers began life-saving efforts at the scene, and firefighters worked to free those inside the car.
All three were taken to Bristol Hospital. Police said the driver and the front-seat passenger were later pronounced dead. The child in the back seat survived and was treated for injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
Investigators believe a 2006 Honda Civic was traveling northbound on Willis Street when it left the road and hit a tree on the east side of the roadway.
Residents say the stretch of road has seen serious crashes before. “We’ve had crashes over the years going up and down the hill,” Willis Street resident Richard Moulis told CBS affiliate WFSB. “For cars coming down, especially those that don’t know the area, they’re in trouble.”
Police identified the victims only by age: a 35-year-old man who was driving and his 12-year-old son seated in front. The man’s other son, 10, was riding in the rear and survived. The family, from Waterbury, had their next of kin notified.
“This tragedy is especially difficult given the young age of the deceased passenger and the upcoming holidays,” Bristol Police Chief Mark Morello said in a release, adding that the department and city extend condolences to the family. Bristol Mayor Ellen Zoppo-Sassu also called the crash “a horribly tragic impact to a family,” and thanked local police, fire, and EMS leaders for their response.
The Bristol Police Department’s Serious Traffic Accident Reconstruction Team is leading the investigation.
