Two killed in wrong way crash

MERIDEN, Conn. (WTNH) -- Two people were killed in Meriden early Wednesday morning, in a car crash caused by a wrong way driver on Route 15.

Police say Michael Heeks, 22, Mansfield, was traveling northbound on the southbound side between exits 67S and 66, around 2:30 AM, when he hit another oncoming car.

Heeks' injuries were fatal.

The driver of the other car, Patrick Cimato, 37, of ME, was also  killed in the crash.

Cimato's passengers, Nicolas Cimato, 47, and  Ashley Robinson, 30, both from NY, sustained injuries and were taken to Yale New Haven Hospital.

Police say Heeks' car overturned in the center median. Cimato's car came to a final rest position in the right shoulder.

The southbound Wilbur Cross Parkway in Wallingford was closed for several hours this morning, following the rollover crash. One northbound lane was also closed for a time, but it is now back open. The parkway was reopened to traffic a little after 7:30 a.m.

It's part of a growing problem of wrong-way drivers.

There wasn't much left of the two cars in a crash earlier this month in Old Lyme.

A 911 caller said, "I'm traveling southbound on 95 at the Baldwin bridge and I just passed a wrong way driver on the left hand shoulder."

Another 911 caller said, "yeah, two cars completely destroyed on the highway. One of the cars looks completely demolished."

That Old Lyme crash they were referring to, killed three women from the New Haven area, just hours after a new federal study of wrong way drivers came out saying most often, alcohol plays some role in these devastating crashes.

"It's a ripple effect. It doesn't just effect the victims, it just doesn't effect the drunk driver's family, it effects the community," said Janice Margolis, Executive Director of CT MADD.

State Police are doing their best to protect that community. Today marks the end of operation SANTA, the State Police highway safety crackdown. So far they handed out more than 1100 tickets, arrested 23 people for driving under the influence, and responded to well over 200 accidents.

SANTA stands for Stop Another Needless Tragic Accident.

Police ask anyone who witnessed the Route 15 accident to contact Trooper Petralito at 203-393-4200.