Man faces assault, DUI charges for wrong-way crash on Route 8
DERBY — A Waterbury man is due in court next month after police say he drunkenly drove a pickup truck the wrong way up Route 8 last year for at least six miles before hitting a car driven by a Bridgeport woman whose leg was later amputated.
Moyan Henry, 34, faces charges of second-degree assault with a motor vehicle, operating under the influence, second-degree reckless endangerment, and driving the wrong way on a divided highway in connection to the crash, which occurred about 3:30 a.m. on Aug. 29, 2021.
His lawyer could not be reached for comment Monday.
Minutes prior to the crash, police received reports that Henry’s Dodge Ram truck was driving north on Route 8 south in the area of Exit 20 in Seymour, according to an arrest warrant written by Trooper Jordan Gomes.
Henry allegedly drove the pickup to the area of Exit 24 in Beacon
Falls before colliding with a Chevrolet Malibu being driven by Jailisa Reyes, a 28-year-old Bridgeport resident.
Photos from the Beacon Hose Co. No. 1’s Facebook page show both vehicles with heavy frontend damage. Rescue crews took about 10 minutes to free Reyes and a passenger from the wreckage, then rushed her to Waterbury Hospital.
According to a video posted by the volunteer fire department, rescue and EMS service, Reyes’ injuries were so grave that surgeons at the hospital had to crack her chest open and manually massage her heart for more than an hour before her condition stabilized.
The warrant said Henry was found standing at the rear of his vehicle, his eyes bloodshot and glassy, and “a strong odor of alcoholic beverage emanating from his breath.”
Henry allegedly told police that he was headed home to Waterbury from Bridgeport when the crash occurred.
“Henry stated that he thought that he was in the northbound lane of travel,” the warrant said. “When asked if he had anything to drink tonight Henry stated that he had a couple of drinks earlier in the night.”
After he was taken to St. Mary’s Hospital, the trooper obtained a search warrant for Henry’s blood, which testing revealed had a blood alcohol content of 0.197, more than double the legal limit of 0.08, according to the warrant.
Reyes’ lawyer, Mark Arons, said Reyes had her leg amputated below the knee as a result of the crash. Her passenger had minor injuries, he said.
The lawyer said she’s trying to recover after having to take extensive time off for rehabilitation.
“It’s a devastating thing for a young woman but she’s resilient and she’s trying to move forward as best she can,” Arons said.
No lawsuit has been filed in connection with the case yet.
Arons said he filed a claim with Henry’s auto insurance company, which offered his $25,000 policy limit.
“My client wants (Henry) to be punished appropriately and we’re attempting to determine whether he has any assets to enable him to compensate Ms. Reyes,” Arons
said. “He was intoxicated and he went for some distance on the highway before the collision.”
Henry was arrested by state police last December, but has not yet entered pleas in the case, according to court records. He has posted $20,000 bond and is due back in court July 13.