A family member of a Hartford police officer has been arrested and charged in connection with a hit-and-run crash in the city in September that killed a woman and police said an internal affairs investigation is underway as well.
Nathen Negron is accused of driving the car that hit 58-year-old Cynthia James, of Hartford, around 2 a.m. on Saturday, September 16, and fleeing the scene, according to police.
Police officers responded to Hudson and Park streets that morning and began treating James, who was later pronounced dead at Hartford Hospital at 2:54 a.m. The medical examiner determined that she died of blunt injury to the head and torso and ruled her death an accident, according to the court documents.
As officers investigated, they learned that a dark-colored vehicle hit James and fled, going north on Hudson Street, police said.
They obtained video footage from the city’s camera system, as well as private systems, which showed James cross Hudson Street in a crosswalk under a “Do Not Walk” sign and almost get hit by an SUV that was going south on Hudson Street as she crossed, police said.
As James continued to cross the street a dark-colored car going north on Hudson Street hit her, throwing her nearly 50 feet, according to police.
Police said vehicles traveling on Hudson Street had a green light at the time and video showed the suspect’s brake lights go on before fleeing from the scene.
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The Hartford State’s Attorney was notified about the crash at 5 a.m.
Hours later, around 9:30 a.m., an off-duty Hartford police officer contacted the supervisor of the Hartford Police Department’s major crimes division and said Negron, his half-brother, was driving the car that was involved in the crash, police said.
A little more than an hour later, police responded to Negron’s parents’ home in Hartford and detectives met with Negron there. The owner of the car also arrived at the house in the car, which was damaged and had blood in the shattered glass, according to police.
Police said Negron's girlfriend owns the car and was the front seat passenger at the time of the crash. She and Negron both met with police.
Negron told police he has been at Matty D’s bar Friday night for the grand opening but did not drink because he was tired and wanted to go home, according to an arrest warrant application.
Part of the investigation also included obtaining additional video evidence from within the bar, which police said showed Negron drinking what appeared to be a mixed drink.
When police spoke with Negron's half-brother, the police officer, he told investigators he bought Negron a Tito's vodka and tonic and saw Negon drinking water after that.
Detectives from the Crime Scene Division interviewed the Hartford police officer who contacted authorities about his half-brother’s involvement. Based on evidence and the officer’s details about his involvement in the aftermath of the fatal crash police launched an internal administrative investigation, which is ongoing, police said.
In an interview with police, Negron admitted to hitting a woman and fleeing the scene and he told officers he was scared and did not know what to do, so he went home, according to the arrest warrant application.
He has been charged with negligent homicide with a motor vehicle, evading responsibility with death and false statement. Bond was set at $100,000 bond.
He turned himself in to police at 8 p.m. Tuesday. Police said the investigation is ongoing and more charges are possible.
