BARKHAMSTED — Another fatal accident has occurred in the Northwest Corner, this time taking the lives of Barkhamsted resident Devin Gilbert, 24, and Keith Gillespie, 61, of Avon, Conn.
On Friday, May 11, at about 4 p.m., two trucks owned by landscaping companies collided head-on on Route 44 in New Hartford.
A 2011 Ford 350 pickup owned by Anderson Turf Irrigation of Avon, Conn., and driven by Gillespie was traveling east on Route 44 just 30 feet east of the Barkhamsted town line, according to the report from the State Police at Troop B.
A 2016 Ford F550 pickup was traveling west on the same road at the same time, driven by Gilbert. His passenger was Kevin Kulinski, 22, of Barkhamsted. Their vehicle is registered to Better Blades Landscaping of Barkhamsted.
Both Gilbert and Gillespie were pronounced dead at the scene. Kulinski was transported by LifeNet helicopter to Hartford Hospital with life-threatening injuries, according to the police.
The incident is under investigation as is a fatal crash that occurred last Friday, May 4, at about 7 p.m. in Kent. Deanna Lynn Silvernail, 22, of Lakeville died in the two-car collision on Skiff Mountain Road. Her funeral in Salisbury was held on Friday, May 11.
The driver of the car in which Silvernail was a passenger was Shelby Roger, 25, of Salisbury. Roger was taken by LifeStar helicopter to Hartford Hospital.
Also in the car at the time of the crash was Angela Brazzale, 26, of Salisbury. She was taken by Sharon EMS to Sharon Hospital.
The driver of the second car was Brian Hastings, 37, of Kent, who was taken by LifeStar helicopter to St. Francis Hospital. Roger was driving a 2015 GMC Terrain south on Skiff Mountain Road; Hastings was traveling north on the same road, in a 2004 Lincoln Navigator.
According to the State Police, the two cars collided head-on at a hillcrest. The Lincoln came to final rest in the northbound lane shoulder. The GMC came to final rest in the southbound lane shoulder atop a downhill embankment.
Silvernail was thrown out of the GMC and down a nearby steep embankment, west of the road. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
This article first appeared online at www.tricornernews.com.
