Man remains in critical condition after crash

MERIDEN, Conn. (WTNH) -- A Lifestar helicopter was called to Meriden after a serious accident on I-691.
        
The accident occurred around 8:15 a.m., at the Exit 11 off-ramp, on I-691.

Upon police arrival, witnesses pointed out a motorcycle down an embankment, at the edge of the woods, not visible from the road.

A witness, who was a passenger in the large box truck told police he was not surprised that he saw the motorcycle, and that he only saw one tail-end of the motorcycle in the brush as he came around the curve from I-691 eastbound to I-91 northbound.

The witness told police he was not sure what he saw initially, and that when he returned to the scene and discovered the accident he called 911.

When police approached the scene, they saw the motorcycle's driver, 28-year-old Carlton Crooks, of 69 Rodney St., Waterbury, on the ground next to the bike.

Crooks was alert and conscious and told police that the accident happened around 11 p.m. the night before.

Crooks was taken via ambulance to Connecticut Police Academy, and he was then taken via Lifestar to Hartford Hospital.

Crooks remains in critical condition as of Sunday.

Preliminary investigation shows that Crooks was traveling on I-91W, on the Exit 11 off-ramp, when he lost control of his motorcycle negotiating the curve on the ramp, and struck the wire rope guard rail on the left side of the road.

Crooks slid under the guardrail and was ejected off his motorcycle into the woods.

Anyone with information regarding the accident is asked to contact State Police Troop I at 203-393-4200.