Lester Y. Rivera-Santiago Obituary, Death – A Waterbury man has been identified as the victim of a fatal crash on Route 8 in Thomaston, Connecticut, last week. The driver, 41-year-old Lester Y. Rivera-Santiago, was involved in the incident on November 12, which occurred in the southbound lanes of Route 8 near Exit 38. Connecticut State Police confirmed his identity after an investigation and an update from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
The crash took place around 10:25 p.m. when Rivera-Santiago was driving a 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck. For reasons that are still under investigation, the truck veered off the road, causing it to strike a wire rope barrier in the median. The collision resulted in the pickup truck catching fire and becoming fully engulfed in flames. Despite efforts to respond, Rivera-Santiago was pronounced dead at the scene.
The crash also caused significant damage to the wire rope railing, which stretched over approximately 250 feet. The cause of the crash remains under investigation, with no further details on whether weather or other factors played a role in the vehicle’s departure from the roadway.
State police are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the crash.