11.17.2010

teen killed by police officer in fatal crash

Some news out of Connecticut... In the town of Windsor Locks, a police officer is accused of being responsible for a car crash last month that took the life of 15-year-old Henry Dang, who was riding his bicycle home from a friend's house: Family probes teen's death.

Some witnesses say that Officer Michael Koistenen, who was off-duty, was drinking at a tailgate party prior to the accident: State Police: Officer Was Drinking At UConn Game Before Fatal Accident.

The sources said investigators are developing a timeline of Michael Koistinen's whereabouts in the hours before his car hit Henry Dang shortly before midnight on Oct. 29. Dang, a Windsor Locks High sophomore, was riding his bicycle home from a friend's house on West Street in Windsor Locks when he was killed on Spring Street.

The Courant reported Wednesday that state police also have a video of Koistinen, 24, drinking at the Suffield Tavern that night before the accident.

Windsor Locks police did not take a blood sample from Koistinen or administer a Breathalyzer test.

The sources said Koistinen went to the bar after attending the tailgate party at Rentschler Field in East Hartford. It is unclear if Koistinen watched any of the game, which went into overtime, but sources said investigators have witnesses who can place him there before the 8 p.m. kickoff.
Did alcohol play a part in the fatal crash? Maybe. But it's hard to know for sure, since Windsor Locks police did not take a blood sample, nor did they administer a Breathalyzer test on Koistenen: State police investigating why no tests for alcohol were given..

Did I mention that there are some serious questions about what the hell happened at the crash scene that night? And get this: Sgt. Robert Koistinen -- father of Michael Koistenen -- was the apparently the officer in charge at the crash scene. I don't think it's out of the question to suggest that something shady transpired here.

Dang's family wants answers, because this was seriously mishandled: Questions Remain Unanswered For Teen's Family. Of course, Koistinen's lawyer claims that he wasn't drunk at the time of the crash, and conveniently, without those tests, no one can really prove otherwise. Meanwhile, Koistinen is on sick leave, and so his dad: Windsor Locks Sergeant Involved In Crash Probe On Sick Leave.

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