New Haven man pleads not guilty in fatal Roxbury crash

TORRINGTON — New Haven resident William Young has pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him following a fatal Route 67 crash in Roxbury last year.

The 38-year-old is facing second-degree manslaughter, second-degree assault, driving under the influence and other charges stemming from the May 2021 collision that killed James McNitt.

Police said the 62-year-old Colorado man was pronounced dead at the scene of the “head-on type” crash on Southbury Road after Young’s 2018 northbound Chevrolet

Malibu collided with McNitt’s 2006 Chrysler Sebring.

Young and a passenger in McNitt’s car were both hospitalized with serious injuries, according to authorities, and Young was arrested on a warrant nine months later.

In addition to manslaughter, assault and driving under the influence, Young was charged with speeding, failure to drive right and failure to grant half of the highway.

He remains held at the New Haven Correctional Center and is next scheduled to appear at state Superior Court in Torrington on May 27.