Alexander Dennis Obituary, Fourth person killed in fiery crash on Merritt Parkway has been identified

Alexander Dennis Obituary – Connecticut State Police have confirmed that the fourth individual who lost their life in a tragic accident on the Merritt Parkway in Stratford last week was a Fairfield University student returning home for the summer break. Troopers were notified by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner on Tuesday that 21-year-old Alexander Dennis was involved in a fatal, head-on collision last Thursday.

Due to the severity of Dennis’ injuries, immediate identification was not possible. The crash, which occurred in the early morning hours on the southbound side of the Merritt Parkway, resulted in the deaths of three other individuals. All four victims were declared deceased at the scene. Reports of a wrong-way driver were received by state police just before the accident, involving a 2016 Honda CR-V driven by Dennis traveling north in the southbound lanes and colliding with a 2010 Chrysler Town and Country heading south.

The Honda caught fire after the collision. Fairfield University expressed that Dennis had recently completed his junior year and was on his way home to Massachusetts when the tragic incident took place. The driver of the minivan has been identified as 65-year-old Steven Rowland, with passengers 80-year-old Thomas Lucian Vitale and 81-year-old Olga Vitale, all from Easton. Fairfield University officials intend to honor Dennis’ memory with a gathering in the fall upon students’ return to campus. The investigation into the crash is ongoing.