Fatal Crash Amid Police Chase

CROMWELL — A crash that killed a 28-year-old in Cromwell early Friday happened during a police chase, state police said.

Troopers were pursuing the fleeing car, a 2004 Audi A4 1.8T, which was trying to get off I-91 when it went off a highway ramp and struck a tree, they said. John William Griffin of Laurel Road in Rocky Hill was pronounced dead after he was extricated from the crushed car, state police said.

The driver of the car, Dayquan Hibbert, also 28, of Covington Street in New Britain, was taken to Hartford Hospital to be treated for what police said appeared to be minor injuries.

According to the state police, about 12:20 a.m., a trooper noticed at least one motor vehicle violation and signaled for the Audi to stop. The driver, later identified as Hibbert, didn’t pull over and engaged them in a pursuit. Trooper Josue J. Dorelus said he didn’t know exactly where the chase started, but it wasn’t a long one.

“The collision occurred shortly after the pursuit was initiated,” he said.

When Hibbert got off I-91 south at Exit 21 in Cromwell, the Audi failed to make a right curve and went off the left side of the ramp, hitting a tree, police said.

The state police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Squad, (CARS) is investigating. Anyone who saw the crash or what preceded it is asked to call Trooper Gregory Trahan at 860-779-4917.