Pregnant Woman Injured, 2 Killed In Fiery Head-On, Chain-Reaction Crash In Colchester

Two people were killed in a chain-reaction crash that pushed a vehicle into oncoming traffic, resulting in a head-on collision on a Connecticut highway, authorities said.

A police car with its lights flashing

The crash was reported around 4:15 p.m. Sunday, July 13, on Route 16 near the Cato Corner Road intersection, according to Connecticut State Police.

Investigators said a Subaru rear-ended a Hyundai in the eastbound lanes, forcing the Hyundai onto the shoulder. The vehicle spun sideways and skidded into oncoming traffic, where it struck a Toyota RAV4 head-on, police said.

Carlos Miguel Bauer, 27, of Colchester, who was driving the Hyundai, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Jennifer Allena Leinbach, 28, of Norwich, the driver of the Toyota, also died in the crash, police said.

A pregnant woman riding with Leinbach, and a 27-year-old male passenger in Bauer’s vehicle, were both taken to a nearby hospital with serious injuries.

The driver and passenger in the Subaru suffered minor injuries and were transported to Hartford Hospital, police said.

The crash remains under investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Trooper Gregory DeCarli at [email protected].