Westport, Conn. — Connecticut officials are reminding motorists to stay inside their vehicles after a deadly crash on the Merritt Parkway claimed the life of Salvador Castelan-Flores, 50, of New Haven earlier this week.
State police said Castelan-Flores was driving south on the parkway Monday morning when his Chrysler Pacifica veered into a wooden-beam guardrail near Exit 21, disabling the minivan. The vehicle came to rest across the left lane.
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Investigators said Castelan-Flores got out of the Pacifica moments before a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder, also traveling south, tried to swerve around the disabled van. Castelan-Flores moved in the same direction and was struck. Paramedics from Westport pronounced him dead at the scene.
The tragedy has prompted fresh warnings about the dangers of leaving a vehicle on high-speed roads.
“If you find yourself stopped on the side of a highway or a busy road, the safest place to be is inside your car,” said Eva Zymaris, spokesperson for the Connecticut Department of Transportation. “Even if you get out for a second, you’re vulnerable to other cars speeding by.”
State police urged drivers who become stranded to keep seatbelts fastened, switch on hazard lights, and call 911 if the vehicle is stopped in a dangerous area. Sgt. Luke Davis noted that “even a damaged vehicle still offers some semblance of protection.”
The investigation into the crash remains ongoing.