Connecticut
CT Man — Father Of 3 Young Kids — Killed In DC Plane Crash
SALEM, CT — Connecticut is mourning the death of Casey Crafton, of Salem, who was killed when an American Airlines passenger flight and a military helicopter crashed into the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., Wednesday night, according to a state official.
State Sen. Martha Marx announced on social media that Crafton was killed in the tragedy.
“The airline tragedy in Washington, D.C., last night has deeply impacted our Salem community. Casey Crafton—husband of Rachel and father to their three sons—was among the passengers on the American Airlines flight from Kansas that went down in the Potomac River. According to media reports and government sources, there are no survivors,” Marx wrote. “My heart goes out to the Crafton-Gadbois family during this unimaginable time. I ask our community to keep them in your prayers as they navigate this profound loss.”
The Salem CT Little League wrote “Our small town is heartbroken by a devastating tragedy involving one of our beloved Little League members. The Crafton family, deeply involved in all things Salem, has suffered an unimaginable loss. With heavy hearts, we share the news that Casey Crafton tragically passed away in the horrific airline crash in Washington DC. Please keep his family close to your hearts and in your prayers during this difficult time.”
The community has created a Meal Train page for the family, and more than $23,000 has been raised as of Thursday night. (You can view the page here).
A total of 67 people died in the crash at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. More than 40 bodies have been removed from the water as of late Thursday afternoon, CNN reported.
The American Airlines passenger flight and a UH-60 Black Hawk, with a crew of three, collided about 8:48 p.m. Wednesday night in clear weather conditions.
Earlier on Thursday, it was revealed that two former Russian figure skating stars from the 1990s who once worked at a Simsbury skating center and may have lived in the town were on board.
Both Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, Russian nationals who moved to Simsbury in the 1990s, are presumed dead after the crash.
The husband-and-wife team were champion pairs skaters in the 1990s, competing in both the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France, and the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway.
They failed to medal in the Olympics, but the couple did earn a bronze medal in the 1993 World Figure Skating Championships and won gold in the 1994 World Championships, the second-most prestigious competition behind the Olympics.
According to the Dec. 21, 2007 article on NewEngland.com, the couple turned professional in 1998 and, eventually, settled down in Simsbury to work at the International Skating Center of Connecticut in their new hometown.
Constructed in the mid-1990s, the ISCC put Simsbury on the map when 1994 Olympic gold medalist Oksana Baiul moved to Connecticut and trained there.
Patch editors Deb Belt and Michael Lemanski contributed to this story.
Connecticut
Canadian aerospace company Bombardier launching new ‘fast track’ training program in Connecticut
WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. (WTNH) — Bombardier, a Canadian company, is launching a new “fast track” training program in Connecticut.
The new program will expand Connecticut’s aerospace industry by creating an accelerated pathway for experienced aircraft maintenance technicians to receive new certifications and enter high-demand careers quickly.
“We know the demand for aviation technicians far exceeds the number of students we can currently prepare throughout our traditional programing alone,” Dr. Alice Pritchard, executive director of Connecticut technical education and career system, said. “Our goal is to create a sustainable workforce solution that can continue producing skilled aviation technicians for years to come.”
The program is set to start soon at the company’s service center at Bradley International Airport.
Injuries were reported in a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 91 South in Hartford on Wednesday morning.
State police said the four-vehicle crash happened around 5:55 a.m.
The highway was briefly closed between exits 30 and 29A. It has since reopened.
According to state police, injuries were reported, but the extent is unknown.
The crash remains under investigation.
Connecticut
Avon daycare releases dates, times that former employee accused of sex assault worked at other Connecticut locations
AVON, Conn. (WTNH) — In light of recent information that a now-former Avon daycare employee accused of sexually assaulting children had filled in at multiple Connecticut locations, the company has released a timeline of when and where he had worked.
Jan Carlos Berrios Otero’s employment with BrightPath Early Learning began in January 2022, according to a letter sent out to families. Within the last four years, he had filled in at daycare locations in Simsbury, Windsor and West Hartford.
According to BrightPath, Berrios Otero had covered partial shifts at the following locations on the following days:
- Simsbury, Jan. 20, 2026: Berrios Otero covered a shift for about four hours and 20 minutes
- Windsor, Sept. 16, 2025: Berrios Otero covered a shift for about six hours at the 555 Day Hill Road location.
- West Hartford, Sept. 24, 2025: Berrios Otero covered a shift for about three hours at the Park Road location
BrightPath stated that to its knowledge, there are no known allegations, complaints or incidents that occurred during these time frames.
Berrios Otero, 29, is facing six counts of risk of injury to a minor, six counts of fourth-degree sexual assault, and two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a minor for allegedly sexually assaulting five boys ages 3 to 5 during the month of March.
BrightPath is working to identify all students who were in attendance in Berrios Otero’s classroom during the partial shifts that he had covered, and will communicate with the families directly as soon as possible, the letter stated.
“Please know, we also understand our review is taking a considerable amount of time; however, the time we take to ensure we are supplying the most accurate information is critical,” the letter said. “We are working diligently to get information to law enforcement and the appropriate governing agencies to support their investigations, and of course to all our families.”
According to BrightPath, Berrios Otero underwent a state and federal background check, which includes state and national criminal records searches and a review of the sex offender registry.
During the background check, which is renewed every five years, Berrios Otero had no prior convictions and was thoroughly vetted through the company’s hiring requirements. He additionally complied with staff qualifications and training.
The daycare says it is conducting a review of all of its records for the past four years across all of its Connecticut centers.
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