The family of Katherine Colon, who was hit and killed by an officer, has filed a lawsuit. (Screenshots from WFSB/YouTube)
The family of a mother who was killed by a police vehicle speeding through a Connecticut lawsuit The family is suing the city and the officer they hold responsible for the death.
Katherine Colon was walking on West Main Street in New Britain on Sept. 21, 2023, at 1 a.m. when she was hit by New Britain Police Officer Connor Reinsch, who was speeding through a neighborhood at 60 mph in a 25 mph zone to a burglary call when he hit her, according to the lawsuit, which seeks $15,000. lawsuitneighborhood at 60 mph in a 25 mph zone to a burglary call when he hit her, according to the lawsuit, which seeks $15,000.
Maribel Rodriguez, Colon’s daughter, told Hartford CBS affiliate WFSB.
The family’s lawyer, Joaquin Madry, said in a statement that no emergency justifies endangering the lives of others. statement The lawyer stated, “The driver of this vehicle is responsible for the death of Katherine Colon, and so is the city of New Britain.”
The lawsuit accuses Reinsch of operating his vehicle recklessly, driving at an unreasonable speed, getting distracted while driving, and failing to watch for pedestrians or slow down to avoid the collision.
The lawsuit also claims that he failed to use his brakes in time to avoid hitting Colon.
The lawsuit names the city of New Britain as well as Reinsch. A city spokesperson declined to comment on the pending litigation.
A report An investigation by Waterbury State’s Attorney Maureen T. Platt blamed Reinsch and Colon for the incident, mentioning Colon's dark clothing, failure to use a crosswalk, and intoxication.
In October, Maribel Candelaria, Colon’s mother, joined a rally demanding accountability, the New Britain Progressive reported.
Candelaria said, “My heart is forever broken into a million pieces. One part is filled with memories, the other parts die with her. As a mother, I can’t sleep at night knowing what the police did to my daughter.