A tragic wrong-way crash claimed the lives of four people last week, including Fairfield University student Alexander Dennis from Massachusetts. The 21-year-old was heading home for the summer when his Honda CR-V collided with a Chrysler Town & Country minivan on the Merritt Parkway in Stratford, catching fire, as reporetd by NBC Connecticut. The crash occurred at around 1:43 a.m. last Thursday.
Officials have now confirmed that the other victims in the fatal accident were 55-year-old Steven Rowland and an elderly couple, Thomas Lucian Vitale, 80, and Olga Vitale, 81, all from Easton, as stated by state police. The incident has cast a shadow over the university community during a time typically reserved to celebrate student achievements. "At a time of year when we are actively engaged in the celebration of our students and their accomplishments, a loss like this seems inconceivable," Fairfield University President Mark R. Nemec said in a Facebook post, according to NBC Connecticut.
Dennis was a visual and performing arts major with a keen interest in film, as per Fairfield University. The institution has shared intentions to soon gather and honor his life when students return in the fall. In the wake of this tragic event, the university offers support through Jesuit community members, counseling services, and the Office of Student Life. "As our University community mourns, we hold the Dennis family, friends and all of those impacted in our prayers during this difficult time," Jennifer Anderson, Fairfield University Vice President of Marketing and Communications, expressed in a statement by Boston 25 News.
