Barbara and James Tamborra.
SEYMOUR — An anonymous tipster helped police develop their prime suspect in a Dec. 10 double fatal hit and run, according to an arrest warrant.
Jair Irigoyen — Flores, 24, was charged Thursday (Dec. 23) with two counts of misconduct with a motor vehicle, and evading responsibility resulting in death.
Police believe Irogoyen — Flores, of West Haven, was driving a neighbor’s Acura MDX when he struck James and Barbara Tamborra, both 81 of Shelton, as they tried to cross Route 67 the evening of Dec. 10. The Acura sped off after hitting the couple.
Both victims were rushed to the hospital, where James Tamborra succumbed to his injuries that same night. Barbara Tamborra died as a result of her injuries Dec. 15.
The case started to break at 2:44 p.m. Wednesday (Dec. 22), when an anonymous caller contacted Seymour police and said Irogoyen — Flores wasn’t just the Acura’s driver — he was planning to flee to Mexico. The article continues after the embed box below, which contains audio from a press conference Thursday.
Audio From A Seymour PD Press Conference
A Seymour detective checked with U.S. Customs And Border Protection in Hartford, where officials said Irogoyen — Flores had purchased a one-way ticket to Mexico and was scheduled to leave the country out of John F. Kennedy International at 8 a.m. today (Dec. 23). That had police racing against a clock, police said.
Cops apparently had Irogoyen — Flores under surveillance while trying to gather enough info in order to convince a judge to sign an arrest warrant. The drafting of that warrant happened overnight into Thursday morning. The suspect was arrested this morning, an hour before his flight.
Police, using an identification number from part of a busted headlight left at the scene, knew they were looking for an Acura MDX built between 2014 and 2016.
Info from the DMV led police to an Acura DMX registered to a person living in an apartment house on North Union Avenue in West Haven.
The vehicle wasn’t registered to Irogoyen — Flores — but he lived in another apartment, upstairs from the Acura’s owner.
According to the warrant, Irogoyen — Flores was allegedly driving the neighbor’s Acura the night of Dec. 10 because he was considering buying it.
Two people close to Irogoyen — Flores provided written statements implicating him in the hit and run, according to the warrant.
His girlfriend of 10 years allegedly told cops Irogoyen — Flores called her between 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. (between 30 and 60 minutes after the crime) Dec. 10.
Irogoyen — Flores allegedly said “he did not know if he hit someone or something on this way home from work” because it was dark.
The woman said she saw a broken headlight on the Acura Irogoyen — Flores had been driving. She saw the Dec. 10 media reports on the crime and urged Irogoyen — Flores, but said he was worried about being deported.
Police also interviewed Irogoyen — Flores’ younger brother, who allegedly told police Irogoyen — Flores was driving on Route 67 when he saw a yellow light, which may have distracted him.
” … Jair told him that (when) he regained focus on the road he heard a bopping noise like something hit the car,” then got scared and left the area.
Irogoyen — Flores was taken into custody at about 7 a.m. Thursday (Dec. 23). He was arraigned in Superior Court Thursday and is due back in court Feb. 22, according to Seymour police.
The Acura has been seized by police as part of the investigation.
Officer Dedrick Wilcox was stationed on Route 67 Dec. 10 to help pedestrians cross the busy road. People attending crowded services at Ward-Miller Funeral Home often use the parking lot across Route 67 at the Klarides Village shopping plaza.
According to the warrant, Officer Wilcox walked with Mr. and Mrs. Tamborra along Route 67, guiding them to a crosswalk. Traffic was stopped westbound. The officer saw no traffic coming eastbound, so the couple began to cross.
“While they were crossing I noticed a dark colored sport utility vehicle coming at a high rate of speed,” Wilcox observed, according to the warrant. “I initially began to walk in the eastbound lane and began waving a flashlight …“
The officer told investigators he even jumped up and down while waving the flashlight, trying to get the driver’s attention.
Instead, the vehicle kept coming at him. He jumped out of the way, then saw the vehicle strike the couple and take off.
Police also obtained statements from motorists who also said they saw the SUV take off, even running a red light at one point after the crime.
A Mass celebrating the lives of James and Barbara Tamborra was held Tuesday morning at St. Lawrence Church in Shelton. The couple was married for 56 years and had three children, nine grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.
James Tamborra was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and served as vice-president of engineering at Emson Research before retiring. Barbara Tamborra was a Eucharistic Minister at St. Lawrence Church for more than 20 years.
At a press conference Thursday afternoon, Ken Tamborra, the couple’s adult son, thanked law enforcement for their tireless work. He also thanked the public for their concern.
“Catching this person will bring some closure. But we still have a gaping hole,” Tamborra said.
Seymour Police Chief Paul Satkowski at a press conference Thursday.
