Milford cops release video of fatal crash
November 17, 2009

MILFORD -- A police videotape released Tuesday shows the car carrying two Orange teens in a June fatal crash turned directly into the path of Police Officer Jason Anderson’s vehicle, which was travelling at 94 miles per hour at the point of collision.

The teens’ car appeared to turn directly into Anderson’s path, according to the video recording made by a camera posted on the cruiser operated by a second police officer, Richard Pisani, who was following close behind on the Boston Post Road in Orange. The sheer velocity of the collision created sparks and flying debris, and it was all over within a split second.

Anderson’s vehicle, which is in the far right lane, is shown passing the cruiser operated by Pisani, which is at that moment travelling at 65 mph but then accelerates, the video shows. Pisani’s top speed in the time frame shown on the video is 72 mph.

The Police Department released the video Tuesday afternoon.

Sources have said Anderson was traveling precisely 94 miles per hour when his cruiser collided around 2:15 a.m. June 13 with a car carrying David Servin and Ashlie Krakowski on the Boston Post Road. Both teens were killed.

The teens’ car was struck at such a high rate of speed that Krakowski’s body was thrown 30 feet from her vehicle, while Servin had to be extricated, according to Milford police radio broadcasts of the accident.

Anderson, who is suspended with pay, turned himself in at State Police Troop I headquarters in Bethany around last Tuesday, and was charged with two counts of second-degree manslaughter and reckless operation of a motor vehicle. State police have declined to give any reason why Anderson, who is a five-year police officer, was arrested.

Anderson is scheduled to appear in Derby Superior Court Nov. 24, and is currently free on $250,000 bail.

The videotape is only available because the camera was inside the police cruiser driven by Officer Richard Pisani. Anderson and Pisani were both returning to Milford from West Haven when the accident occurred. Both officers had responded to a mutual aid call of a reported riot at a club in West Haven.

Mello has said Thursday he initiated an internal affairs investigation into Pisani’s speed the night of the accident. Mello said he has been unable to initiate Anderson’s internal affairs investigation because he has not received the accident report from state police. Anderson can only be suspended 15 days by the chief. Any additional discipline must be dolled out by the Board of Police Commissioners. \

Bartley Halloran, the attorney representing David Servin’s estate has filed an intent to sue the city and Police Department.