Thea Digiammerino

3-Year-Old Injured When Vehicle Slams Into Building in Groton

Police said the vehicle fled the scene of another crash on Drozdyk Drive right before this crash.

A 3-year-old girl was injured when a pickup crashed into a building on Buddington Road in Groton Monday.

Authorities said the vehicle hit a tree before crashing into the building at 70 Buddington Road around 7:20 p.m. 

According to police, 29-year-old Maxwell Nucci, of Niantic, was driving a pickup truck when he failed to turn into a condominium complex, left the road and hit a tree before hitting building 68 of the Laurel Glen condo complex. The pickup crashed into a storage unit. The person in the condo above was not hurt.

Investigators said Nucci was using his phone without a hands-free device and was found to be operating under the influence at the time of the crash.

Sgt. Paul Reams with Groton Police confirmed a 3-year-old girl in the pickup was injured. She was transported to Lawrence + Memorial Hospital in New London to be treated for injuries that were considered serious, but not life-threatening.

Reams said Nucci is the child's father and that his vehicle was involved in a hit-and-run crash on Drozdyk Drive right before the Buddington Road crash. 

Authorities said a vehicle was traveling east on Drozdyk Drive near Michelle Lane when the driver slowed down to turn into a driveway. When the vehicle slowed, Nucci hit the back of the car. The driver of the other car, 27-year-old Kaitlyn MacPeek, of Quaker Hill, was taken to Pequot Medical Center in Groton for treatment of non life-threatening injuries. 

Police said Nucci took off from that scene, then cut into the Laurel Glen condominium development off Buddington Road before crashing into a tree and hitting a building.

Nucci suffered a minor injury, police said. He has been taken into custody.

Police said Nucci is facing charges including assault with a motor vehicle, reckless driving, driving unreasonably fast, operating under the influence and reckless endangerment.

He was released on a $5,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on August 7. 

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