Fernando J. Moreno-Rivas, 30, of Stratford, and Kelly M. Wootten, 29, of Seymour, were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which was reported at about 1:10 a.m. Thursday, state police said.
Wootten was traveling north — in the southbound lane — and slammed into Moreno-Rivas’s 2015 Chevy Tahoe, state police said.
Both “sustained serious bodily injuries and were pronounced dead at the scene,” according to state police.
Family members said Moreno-Rivas was a U.S. Army medic on his way from from his military base in upstate New York when the crash happened, NBC Connecticut reported.
State police shut down the southbound side of Route 8 between exits 15 and 13 for about five hours after the crash.
Route 8 had reopened for the morning commute but heavy delays were reported in the area.
An accident reconstruction team was on the scene working to determine the cause of the crash.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Shelton and receive free news updates.