Report: Suspect Reveals Scene of Fear, Confusion Following Fatal Windsor Crash

The arrest warrant for Rafael Quiroz, the 22-year-old Windsor man charged in the death of 17-year-old Windsor resident Christopher Torres, details a scene of conflict and fear at the scene of the September 7 accident.

According to the warrant, Quiroz, along with two other occupants of his 1995 Honda Civic, allegedly fled the scene of the Windsor Avenue crash leaving behind Torres, who would later succumb to his injuries.

The decision to leave Torres, according to testimony from Quiroz and his passengers, was made after failing to wake up the victim, who was described as unconscious in the rear passenger-side seat, breathing.

Quiroz was arraigned in Enfield Superior Court Monday.

In an interview with police, Quiroz said he, Torres and two other minor-aged males went to the CVS on Windsor Avenue the night of the crash. Returning from the CVS on Windsor Avenue, Quiroz told police that he felt his vehicle strike a curb and lost control, eventually hitting a utility pole.

According to the warrant, Quiroz told police he blacked out as a result of the crash's impact and heard one of his passengers say "We have to go... get out of the car" when he awoke.

Quiroz reportedly told Windsor police Torres was in the back passenger-side seat making snoring noises. He took the seat belt off of Torres and tried to wake him, but Torres did not respond, Quiroz reportedly relayed to police.

Saying he was afraid because he had minors in his car, Quiroz and his passengers fled the scene, leaving Torres behind.

Quiroz, the arrest warrant details, told police "he knew he should never have left the scene, but he was scared."

Torres, who was transported to Hartford Hospital after witnesses reported the accident, was administered CPR by police and emergency personnel, but succumbed to his injuries.

According to police, the chief medical examiner identified Torres' cause of death as multiple blunt traumatic injuries.

According to court documents, Quiroz told police he, Torres and his two other passengers hung out playing cards and drinking brandy just hours before they got into the accident.

Quiroz also told police he smoked marijuana while playing cards.

Quiroz was charged with negligent homicide, evasion of responsibility in operation of a motor vehicle, operating an unregistered motor vehicle, failure to have vehicle insurance coverage, operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license, improper use of a marker plate and speeding.

Quiroz was released from custody on a $10,000 bond.

The arrest warrant also described accounts from multiple Windsor residents who witnessed the crash and the young men allegedly flee the scene.

One witness, court documents reveal, described Quiroz's vehicle approaching her from behind "really fast and it was weaving" before swerving into the north-bound right lane on Windsor Avenue, hitting a pole and flipping.

Another witness, a male who helped police remove Torres from the vehicle, told authorities he saw three Hispanic males standing outside of the crashed car and overheard one of the males yelling "Let's get him out." The witness also said the other two males yelled "Let's get out of here," court documents say.

According to the arrest warrant, Torres was no longer breathing by the time police arrived on the scene and began to administer CPR.

An investigation into the fatal crash, court documents show, Quiroz was allegedly traveling at least 56 miles per hour at the time of the crash. The speed limit on Windsor Avenue (Route 159) is 35 miles per hour.

Weather was not a factor in the crash, according to the warrant, as the road was dry.

The investigation, the warrant says, also revealed that Quiroz's gray 1995 Honda Civic traveled 325 after impact.

Air bags were deployed, according to court documents.