CT man charged with manslaughter in crash that killed CCSU student

Yahoo

27-03-2025

A Bethel man faces manslaughter and reckless driving charges for allegedly going nearly double the speed limit during a crash in Willington last spring when a passenger in his vehicle — a Central Connecticut State University student — was ejected from the car and killed.
Louis Marcantonio, 22, was taken into custody Wednesday just before 8 p.m. at his residence, according to Connecticut State Police. Troopers had a warrant out for his arrest in connection with a fatal crash on April 27, 2024, on Route 32 that killed 19-year-old Maria Cardoso Da Mata.
Marcantonio faces four counts of first-degree reckless endangerment and a single count each of reckless driving, failure to maintain the proper lane and first-degree manslaughter.
According to the arrest warrant affidavit, emergency crews responded to the report of a single-car crash at 10:12 p.m. on Route 32, which also goes by River Road. State police said Marcantonio was driving a Subaru Legacy South on Route 32 when he failed to negotiate a right curve in the road in the area of Adamec Road, striking a residential mailbox and leading to the vehicle rolling over multiple times, the warrant affidavit said. During the rollover sequence, Cardoso Da Mata, who was sitting in the rear middle seat, was ejected through the rear window, according to the warrant affidavit.
State police investigators found that Cardoso Da Mata was not wearing a seatbelt, the warrant affidavit said. She was found lying on the ground in the area of the crash and was pronounced dead at the scene.
A fire that started in the engine area of the vehicle was put out before it could engulf the vehicle in flames, according to the warrant affidavit.
Marcantonio and three other passengers were taken to area hospitals for minor injuries, the warrant affidavit said.
At the scene, a trooper alleged that he smelled a faint odor of alcohol coming from Marcantonio, though friends who were in the vehicle later told authorities he was the designated driver because he was not drinking, according to the warrant affidavit. Blood samples taken from the hospital confirmed he did not have any drugs or alcohol in his system, the warrant affidavit said.
An analysis of the crash found that Marcantonio was allegedly going somewhere between 85-86 mph when he lost control of the vehicle, the warrant affidavit said. The area where the crash occurred was a 45 mph zone.
Marcantonio is free on a $35,000 bond and is expected to appear in Rockville Superior Court on April 8.
According to an obituary, Cardoso Da Mata was born in Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil and graduated from Bethel High School in 2022. She was a sophomore at CCSU where she was pursuing a degree in business and marketing, the obituary said.
'Maria was full of life and a joy to be around,' the obituary said. 'She made friends with everyone. Maria was always smiling and made it her goal to make others smile.'
'Maria loved to travel. She loved entertaining others and cooking for them, Friendsgiving was a big event for her. She also loved all animals. Maria's greatest passion in life was having her friends and family around her, she loved them all.'