Police announced Friday they have charged a New Haven man with negligent homicide with a motor vehicle in connection to a crash that left a Derby woman dead.
Christmas Neustadter, 41, turned himself into police Thursday night after learning authorities had obtained a warrant for his arrest.
Lepri was heading westbound, according to police. Neustadter was traveling east.
Neustadter was also charged with failing to stay in his lane. He posted a $5,000 bond and is scheduled to be arraigned in Superior Court in Derby May 19.
Lepri, 43, was on her way to pick up her two young daughters when the crash happened.
According to an arrest warrant, Neustadter was coming home from work from Danbury when he crossed the double yellow line and struck Lepri’s car.
The warrant states that Neustadter told police he spotted a white object in his lane just before the crash.
Police noted that there were no skid marks on the road to indicate either driver took evasive action.
Mechanics checked out each vehicle and determined there were no mechanical defects prior to the crash.
A mother never made it to pick up her two daughters because of a reckless driver. How sad is this. I see drivers like this every day in any town, driving recklessly and traveling over the marked lines in the road.
Isn’t it time we had unmarked traffic police cars in every town in this state. How often I say to myself, ” I wish there were a cop nearby” when I see a driver like this.