Sailor in court for fatal accident

(WTNH) - A Navy sailor is sitting behind bars tonight accused of a deadly crash. Police say he slammed into a van of college students killing one of them while driving drunk.

In his first appearance in court, 23-year-old Daniel Musser, a Machinist Mate on the USS Annapolis out Groton, stood with his shoulders slumped.

According to court papers he told police he had been at the Ultra 88 club at Mohegan Sun before the deadly accident which took the life of a Connecticut College student. The head on crash, which prompted the Navy to issue a statement condemning drinking and driving, has also prompted the Governor to rethink her support of a bill to allow the expansion of bar hours at the casinos. Rell says the accident did happen under existing statutes and she believes the patron and bartender need to be responsible.

"But it does give you pause and makes one think; if this is a case where this person was drinking at a casino, should we rethink the legislation? I've certainly spent some time thinking about it and I suspect that it will not go out this year," Governor Jodi Rell said.

And that is welcome news to state police who patrol the area.

The seriousness of this was also addressed in court where Musser's original $100,000 bond was raised to $300,000.

Connecticut College now mourns the loss of a campus leader. Elizabeth Durante, 20, was an advocate against binge drinking and even lived in a substance-free dorm.

"Liz was a student who I spent actually a lot of time with over the last six months between developing the EMT program and sometimes she would just stop by my office so I'm definitely gonna miss that," Jocelyn Bridell, of Connecticut College, said. The Navy released a statement regarding the accident that read in part:

First and foremost, our prayers and thoughts go out to the families of the victims of this tragedy. The Navy does not condone or tolerate drinking and driving. Civilian authorities have the lead in this investigation, and the Navy is fully cooperating.