A tractor-trailer driver traveling through Meriden on Monday evening walked away without a scratch after a passenger car suddenly veered across the highway and struck the back of his rig. The driver of the car, 67-year-old John Vincent Ireton Sr. of Waterbury, did not survive the heavy impact.
The crash happened around 8:20 p.m. along a busy stretch of westbound Interstate 691 near Exit 3. The commercial truck was rolling along in the right lane and right shoulder when Ireton’s vehicle unexpectedly crossed over from the far left lane.
Investigators say Ireton lost total control of his car while driving in the left lane. Within seconds, his vehicle cut diagonally across the open lanes of traffic toward the outer edge of the freeway.
Before hitting the truck, Ireton’s car struck the heavy metal beam guardrail along the right shoulder. The initial impact with the barrier did not stop the vehicle, which then slid directly into the rear section of the tractor-trailer.
While the truck driver was completely unharmed, Ireton suffered severe injuries in the collision. Emergency crews quickly arrived at the scene, treated him on the highway, and rushed him by ambulance to MidState Hospital.
Medical staff at MidState Hospital evaluated Ireton upon arrival, but his injuries proved fatal, and he was pronounced dead. Meanwhile, state troopers shut down sections of the westbound lanes to examine the crash site and secure the two vehicles.
Troop I officers are actively looking into what caused Ireton to lose control of his car on the highway. State police are urging any motorists who saw the incident or captured video on a dash camera near Exit 3 on Monday night to contact investigators at 203-393-4200.
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