What happened to Katherine Colon? Family of Connecticut mother files lawsuit against the City of New Britain months after fatal crash 

The family of Katherine Colon filed a lawsuit against the City of New Britain and one of its police officers over their alleged roles in the death of the Connecticut mother of four who was fatally struck by a police cruiser on West Main Street in New Britain on September 21, 2023.

Maribel Rodriguez and David Sawyer, in a suit filed in state Superior Court in Hartford, accused New Britain Police Officer Connor Reinsch of recklessly driving through the Connecticut neighborhood without a siren and lights. Rodriguez and Sawyer are the daughter and minor son of Katherine Colon.

The lawsuit seeking $15,000 alleged the driver of the vehicle showed no regard for the safety of the civilians by driving at an unreasonable speed in the middle of the night.

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Connecticut mother of four, Katherine Colon was crossing the street when she was struck by a police vehicle

The lawsuit filed on March 11, 2024, by the victim’s children detailed the accident that claimed the life of Katherine Colon. As per the suit, around 1 am on September 21, Connor Reinsch, who was responding to a burglary call on West Main Street, was driving at 60 mph in a 25pmh zone without his lights or sirens before he struck Colon, who was crossing the street.

“The collision and the personal injuries and losses sustained and suffered by the plaintiff’s descendant Katherine Colon, were caused by the negligence and carelessness of the defendant Connor Reinsch for which defendant City of New Britain is liable," the lawsuit said.

In a statement to The Register Citizen, the plaintiff’s attorney, Joaquin Madry, a partner at Silver Golub & Teitell, said no emergency warrants endangering the lives of civilians.

“The driver of this vehicle is responsible for the death of Katherine Colon, and so is the city of New Britain. No emergency is so great that it warrants endangering the lives of other people, as so tragically happened in this case.”

The lawsuit comes weeks after a report by Waterbury State’s Attorney Maureen T. Platt found both the victim and the police officer liable for the accident.

As per the report, it is true that Reinsch was driving recklessly on the night of the incident, however, the victim had also placed herself in danger by wearing dark clothing and failing to use a crosswalk. The report also alleged the mother of four was under the influence of alcohol and drugs, including fentanyl, at the time of the pedestrian crash.

WFSB, citing the spokesperson for the city in Connecticut, reported Reinsch was still an officer at the New Britain Police Department but remained on restricted duty following the lawsuit.