Police on Monday identified a woman from New Britain, Conn., as the fourth victim in the weekend’s fatal three-car crash in Newington.
Maritza Smith, 56, was the fourth person killed in the accident, police revealed Monday. The other three victims — Gabriela Difo, 17; her mother, Florinda Tineo, 50, and her aunt, Jeannette Tineo, 48 — were previously identified by Democratic State Rep. Gary Turco, CT Insider reported. Part of his district lies in Newington.
A fifth person, who was not identified, suffered minor injuries, according to reports.
Speed may have been a factor in the accident, Newington Police Department spokesman Lt. Ryan Deane told the Hartford Courant, without giving specific details.
“It’s very difficult when you see these types of scenes,” Deane told The Courant. “The impact was significant and was a difficult scene to be at. That’s why we urge the public to slow down.”
The Newington Police Department confirmed all four victims’ names and ages on Monday.
Difo was a senior at Newington High School, and district officials said crisis support staff would be available throughout Monday for teachers, staff and fellow students, reported WTNH-TV.
The family was also mourned at St. Mary Church in New Britain, where they often attended services, WVIT-TV reported, and people left tributes at a makeshift memorial that had sprung up on Willard Avenue, the street where the accident happened.
“They were always helping, always smiling, always helping in everything,” church member Jose Balbuena told WVIT, adding that the priest was shocked because the trio had just been at church the night before and bid them goodnight at around 10:30 p.m., “not knowing it was going to be the last time he was seeing them.”
The crash occurred near Willard’s intersection with Greenlawn Avenue at about 9 a.m. Saturday. Willard was closed between Robbins and Wilson avenues for several hours as police investigated. The Mid-State Accident Reconstruction Squad is investigating further, police said.
