Norfolk crash claims borough man’s life

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 Firefighters closed Route 44 at the intersection of Ashpohtag Road in Norfolk on Monday night after a fatal crash nearby that claimed the life of John Maida, of Naugatuck. –RA ARCHIVE

Firefighters closed Route 44 at the intersection of Ashpohtag Road in Norfolk on Monday night after a fatal crash nearby that claimed the life of John Maida, of Naugatuck. –RA ARCHIVE

NORFOLK — A 50-year-old Naugatuck man was killed Monday when a Cadillac Escalade he was driving collided head on with a box truck on Route 44.

Police identified the man as John Maida. Cynthia Corker-Cherry, 53, was in the passenger’s seat of the Escalade at the time of the accident. Maida and Corker-Cherry both live at the same address on Patricia Lane in Naugatuck, according to police.

Corker-Cherry was freed from the wreck and was taken to Hartford Hospital by Life Star Helicopter for treatment of cuts. She was listed in stable condition late Monday, Sgt. Robert Janco said. Airbags deployed during the crash, but Maida was killed. It’s unclear if he was wearing a seatbelt.

The driver of the Cintas truck that Maida collided with, Sergui Palatkin, 27, of Bristol, was taken to Sharon Hospital by Canaan Ambulance where he was being treated for injuries that did not appear to be life-threatening, Janco said.

The 3:21 p.m. crash happened near Ashpohtag Road and the Canaan town line. The truck was eastbound when the Escalade crossed from the westbound lane, Janco said.

The collision sheared off the Escalade’s door, pinning it to the truck’s grill. The passenger compartment was severely smashed, causing massive trauma to the driver and slightly less of an impact to the front seat passenger’s compartment.

The roadway was dry. “We don’t know yet why the vehicle crossed over the center line,” Janco said.

Police were expecting to be able to interview Corker-Cherry, who was conscious Monday night at Hartford Hospital, where she was being treated for head injuries.

“The truck driver didn’t have much time to react,” Janco said. “There wasn’t much skid mark, indicating little time to take evasive action.”