A retired Plymouth police captain and a Meriden man are dead after the 1978 Chevrolet Camaro they were riding in left Waterbury Road in Cheshire, struck a tree and caught fire Sunday night. John D’Aniello, 42, of Waterbury, was in the passenger seat; 43-year-old James Zabel, identified as the driver, lived in Meriden. Both men were pronounced dead after the crash.
According to WTNH, emergency crews responded around 10:43 p.m. on Nov. 1 to the area of Rita Avenue on Waterbury Road, though CT Insider / Record-Journal reported that Cheshire police and firefighters were dispatched at approximately 10:45 p.m. that night. Both accounts agree on what happened next: the Chevrolet veered off the roadway, struck a tree and caught fire. D’Aniello and Zabel were taken by ambulance to Saint Mary’s Hospital, where they were later pronounced deceased, per the same report.
Cause of the Crash Still Unclear
Cheshire police have not said what caused the Camaro to leave the road and strike the tree, according to Daily Voice. The incident remains under investigation by the Cheshire police traffic division and members of the Naugatuck Valley Crash Investigation Team, WTNH’s report noted.
D’Aniello was a retired captain of the Plymouth Police Department, where he had served for over 18 years after joining the force in 2008, according to NBC Connecticut. He spent nine years as a sergeant before being promoted to captain in April 2024, the Greenwich Time reported.
Department Mourns a Longtime Officer
The Plymouth Police Department expressed condolences to D’Aniello’s family, friends and loved ones following news of his death, per NBC Connecticut. The department said his leadership, dedication and contributions to the department and community would not be forgotten, adding that his loss was deeply felt by those who knew and worked with him. “Rest in peace Captain D’Aniello; thank you for your service,” the department said, according to the same report.
D’Aniello was placed on paid administrative leave on Sept. 1, 2025, while an independent investigation into him was underway, per CT Insider. Plymouth Mayor Joseph Kilduff said at the time that the action was not a suspension, though he did not disclose the nature, scope or expected timeline of that investigation.
