By Gordon Joseloff
UPDATE A Bronx, N.Y. man was killed and at least three other persons injured early today in two separate but related accidents on I-95 northbound in Westport that shut the highway for seven hours, state police said.
A heavy duty wrecker today hauls away the cab of a tractor-trailer involved in a fatal accident on I-95 in Westport. A car involved sits in the middle of the roadway at rear. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Gordon Joseloff for WestportNow.com
State police said in the first accident, a car rear-ended a van with four occupants. It veered off the road, went down an embankment, hit several trees, and rolled over.
A rear seat passenger not wearing a seatbelt was ejected and pronounced dead at the scene. State police identified him as Muhamad Bahaga, 32, of the Bronx, N.Y. The three others suffered less serious injuries and were transported by Westport EMS to Norwalk Hospital.
Moments later, possibly as a result of the first accident, a car rear-ended a tractor-trailer. Three occupants of the car fled the scene, running across the southbound lanes. They were eventually found and arrested in a neighborhood off of Greens Farms Road, officials said.
According to state police, the accidents occurred at about 5:15 a.m.
Those who fled, initially described as teens, were located using K-9 dogs on Lakeview Road and Hales Street, according to reports from the scene. They were taken to Troop G in Bridgeport.
Police shut down all northbound traffic at Exit 17 for seven hours after the crash while they investigated, awaited removal of the body, and removed the van from the woods. A large traffic backup resulted in Saugatuck and along Greens Farms Road.
Shortly before 9 a.m., a heavy duty wrecker hauled away the cab of a tractor-trailer involved in the crash.
Because of the northbound backup, state police shortly before 10 a.m. asked Norwalk police to close the onramps at Exits 15 and 16 as well.
Just before noon, a tow truck hauled the van back on to the highway from its resting place in the woods. The highway was reopened at 12:20 p.m.
State police, Westport, and Norwalk police, and K-9 units were involved in tracking the suspects.
