Pedestrian critically injured in New London hit and run

By Matthew Clark    Published on 11/22/2007

New London -- A man sufferedsevere injuries Wednesday night after being struck by a car while crossing the street on Eugene O?Neill Drive. The car fled the scene after the accident, but police said they caught the driver a short while later.
Police charged 27-year-old Beatrice Price, of 25 Clark St., Westerly, with first-degree assault, evading responsibility, reckless driving and going the wrong way down a one-way street.
Police Capt. William Dittman said Thursday afternoon that the victim?s name is not yet being released. The victim is at Yale-New Haven Hospital in extremely serious condition, he said.
At 10:55 p.m. Wednesday, Dittman said Price struck the man near the intersection of Eugene O?Neill Drive and Green Street in downtown New London, while the man was crossing the street in the crosswalk.
Dittman said Price, who was driving a 1996 Ford Taurus, initially fled the scene, turned around in the nearby municipal parking lot and drove the wrong way down Eugene O?Neill to look at the victim, then fled the scene again.
Dittman said an eyewitness followed Price to a nearby apartment on Green Street, where Price and two others were arrested, and alerted police. Dittman praised the witness, saying the information allowed police to seize the vehicle and preserve evidence.
Also charged in the incident were Dionne Johnson, 19, of 96 Green St., Apt. 2D; Stefanie Lafferty, 27, of 96 Green St., Apt. 2B, and Ronald Booth, 61, of Green St. Apt. 2B.  The individuals were charged with interfering with a police officer.