A 27-year-old Connecticut woman has been jailed after authorities accused her of driving under the influence and crashing her Jeep into a motorcycle carrying an off-duty police officer and his girlfriend, killing them both.
Melissa Ramirez has been charged with two counts of second-degree manslaughter with a motor vehicle in the deaths of 38-year-old Bridgeport Police Officer Cooper Whiteside and 34-year-old Brittany Anne Islami, the Danbury Police Department announced Friday.
Ramirez is also facing charges of illegally operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, traveling at an unreasonable speed and failing to drive in the proper lane.
She was being held on a $500,000 bond.
The deadly crash happened at approximately 2:45 a.m. on July 13 along Sugar Hollow Road in Danbury, a city located about 65 miles north of Manhattan.
Whiteside and Islami were riding together on Whiteside’s Harley-Davidson motorcycle when Ramirez allegedly struck them with her Jeep.
Both victims were pronounced dead at the scene, according to regional ABC affiliate WTNH.
Police said Ramirez’s Jeep suffered extensive damage to its front end. She reportedly had to be removed from the wrecked vehicle before being transported to a hospital with serious injuries.
Authorities have not released additional details about what allegedly led to the crash or what substances Ramirez is accused of having in her system.
Islami worked as a caretaker and personal assistant and was the mother of three children, ages 12, 10 and 7, according to her obituary.
Her loved ones remembered her as someone who “was always the life of the party and lit up every room she walked into.”
“She was so special, in a way that only people who truly knew her would understand,” the tribute said.
Whiteside had dreamed of becoming a police officer from a young age, according to his memorial.
Outside of law enforcement, he was described as a talented violinist and piano player, an outdoor enthusiast, a certified rescue diver, a handyman and an “epic jokester.”
Although he had served with the Bridgeport Police Department for only two years, his obituary said he had already distinguished himself through his dedication to the job.
“After only 2 years on the force, Cooper had made of himself an officer of distinction, never wavering in his purpose to serve and protect with integrity, humility, and compassion,” the tribute stated.
Isn’t Connecticut another democrat run New England state???
Nothing will happen