NEW LONDON — The investigation into an August crash that killed a teenage moped rider remains unresolved, even as witness statements provide additional accounts of the moments before the collision with City Council President John Satti’s pickup.
The police records contain descriptions of the rider attempting to pass traffic on Ocean Avenue. They do not establish a final cause or determination of fault.
The collision occurred August 9 near Beech Drive. The 17-year-old was brought to Lawrence + Memorial Hospital and later pronounced dead.
One motorist told investigators the moped entered the opposite side of the road to pass his vehicle, then approached the pickup ahead. The witness described the rider losing control during an attempt to pass the truck and striking its side. He believed the moped was moving too fast and described the pickup as traveling at the posted limit.
A second account came from Satti’s son, who said he was following his father on another moped. He described hearing the approaching rider accelerate and believed the rider was trying to overtake the pickup when the vehicles collided. Both accounts are witness observations, not a completed reconstruction of the crash.
Investigators also questioned Sandbar Cafe employees about whether Satti had visited the Ocean Beach Park business before the collision. Those interviewed did not recall seeing him there that Sunday. Satti denied being at the park beforehand.
Those interviews followed an allegation in a notice of intent to sue the city that Satti had been drinking. That allegation has not been established as fact.
The witness statements and bar interviews add information to the case, but the investigation remains open. The released records do not contain a final finding assigning responsibility for the teenager’s death.