Three people in a Honda Civic died after a Lexus struck it from behind in Stratford, state police said.
STRATFORD, CT — Connecticut State Police are searching for the driver of a Lexus that fled after a fiery chain-reaction crash killed three people, including a toddler, early May 10 on Route 15 South near Exit 36 in Stratford.
The crash has drawn a major investigation because all three people inside one car died and the driver police say caused the wreck left before troopers arrived. State police said the case remains active and involves crash reconstruction and major crime investigators. No arrest had been announced in the days after the collision, while police worked to determine who was behind the wheel of the Lexus.
Troopers were called at about 4:50 a.m. to the southbound side of the Merritt Parkway, also known as Route 15, near the Exit 36 area. Police said a 2012 Chrysler 200, a 2008 Honda Civic and a 2014 Lexus ES350 were traveling in the right lane. The Lexus hit the rear of the Honda, forcing the Honda into the back of the Chrysler, according to the preliminary police account. The impact sparked a fire. The driver of the Lexus fled the crash scene before police arrived, state police said.
The three people in the Honda were pronounced dead at the scene by emergency responders. Police identified the driver as Maria E. Vasquez Chacon, 29, of Trenton, New Jersey. A front-seat passenger was identified as Joselyn Vasquez-Chacon, 21. A young child in the back seat was later identified as 1-year-old Yanelet DePaz. Early reports listed one victim as unidentified while authorities worked through death notifications and confirmation. The driver of the Chrysler, a 24-year-old man from Trenton, was not injured. Police said the drivers of the Chrysler and Honda were related.
The crash closed part of Route 15 South on a busy stretch of the Merritt Parkway as police, firefighters and emergency crews responded. The scene was near the Sikorsky Aircraft area of Stratford, a corridor used by commuters and travelers moving through Fairfield County. Investigators from the Connecticut State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Squad and the Western District Major Crime Squad responded. Their work included examining the vehicles, the roadway and the sequence of impacts that led to the fire.
Attorney Darnell Crosland, who said he represents the owner of the Lexus, said the owner was cooperating with investigators. Crosland said police were trying to reconstruct the crash and reach a conclusion about who was driving. He said, “We feel bad that there was a loss of life,” and added that his client had not been charged. In later comments, Crosland said state police executed search warrants for a DNA swab and a body scan to check for and photograph possible injuries tied to the crash.
State police have not publicly named the person they believe was driving the Lexus. They also have not announced charges in the case. The unanswered questions include who was behind the wheel, why the driver left, and whether investigators have recovered video or witness accounts from the parkway before the crash. Police said the investigation remained open and that no further information was available for release while detectives continued gathering evidence.
The deaths left relatives trying to arrange funeral and burial plans for a family that had ties to New Jersey and Guatemala. A fundraiser described the victims as a mother, her young daughter and the child’s aunt. It said the family was seeking money for funeral costs, transportation and legal expenses. Relatives said they were struggling with the sudden loss while also facing the cost and logistics of returning remains to Guatemala.
The case now rests with state police investigators, who are reviewing physical evidence and witness information from the May 10 crash. Trooper Drew Smith is listed as the contact for tips, and police have asked for information from anyone who saw the collision or has video from the area.
Author note: Last updated May 21, 2026.