Police Investigate 18th Crash on Route 7 in 10 Months

Though only a small fraction of Route 7 covers land in Redding, there have been at least 18 motor vehicle accidents on it in 2012, according to Redding Police Chief Douglas Fuchs. 

The most recent such accident occurred on Sunday, Oct. 14 at 8:01 p.m. when a car driven by Kelley DeMasi, 36, of Brookfield lost control at a curve and struck a sign off the road. 

DeMasi was charged with failure to keep right at a curve and taken to Danbury Hospital, and the case remains under investigation.

"I made a request to State Traffic Commission to look at that curve," Fuchs said. "Since the beginning of 2012, we've investigated at least 18 [motor vehice] crashes within that same stretch of roadway, [a] disproportionate high level of crashes."

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Fuchs said all of those crashes have occurred within one-quarter mile of each other.

"Part of the problem is the coefficient of friction of the road. [which is] the road’s ability to maintain traction on it," Fuchs said. "As a road gets older, the coefficient of friction decreases dramatically. As that degrades, you start seeing with any kind of inclement weather. . .people losing control much more easily." 

Fuchs said he's also hoping to get a guardrail installed to protect the swamp alongside the roadway.

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On Saturday, Oct. 13 at 5:17 p.m., Redding Police received a report that someone had stolen two jackets from New Canaan Ski & Sport. The case remains under investigation.

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On Thursday, Oct. 11 at 3:50 p.m., a car driven by Rachel Bermingham, 43, of Redding crashed into a Redding Police cruiser on Picketts Ridge Road. She suffered minor injuries, and the officer was not hurt. She was issued a written warning for failure to grant right of way at a stop sign.