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Michael Cream, of Norwich, is charged with second-degree manslaughter, engaging in a police pursuit, reckless driving, and other traffic infractions, according to Connecticut State Police.
Police first spotted Cream driving on Route 2 in Bozrah on April 7 at around 3:45 p.m. His Mazda 3i was clocked at 105 mph in a 65 mph zone, police said.
Troopers turned on their lights and siren, but Cream refused to stop. He exited the highway at Exit 2 for Bozrah Road and continued at speeds of 90 to 100 mph, authorities said.
Nearly three miles into the chase, Cream misjudged a curve near Bishop Road and veered off the right side of the road while traveling at speeds between 102 and 107 mph in a 40 mph zone. The car tore through two mailboxes, collided with two utility poles and a metal guardrail, and finally slammed into an embankment, police said.
The passenger door was ripped from its hinges during the crash, and the passenger, 19-year-old Frank Levanto, was thrown from the car, officials said.
Paramedics rushed Levanto to Backus Hospital, and he was later airlifted to Hartford Hospital, where he died three weeks later from blunt-force injuries to most of his body.
Cream told police he did not remember the crash or what led to it.
Cream, Levanto, and another friend had spent that morning moving their belongings to a new apartment they planned to share. Cream had dropped off his other roommate shortly before the crash, he told police.
Cream was arrested on Monday, Dec. 23, and held on a $250,000 bond, authorities said.
Frank Levanto was remembered for his red hair, bright blue eyes, and friendly disposition, according to his obituary. It said he was always happy to help a friend or care for an animal.
"He never looked down on anybody," his family wrote. "He was fearless and fun and seemed to believe that life isn't lived while you are sitting still. It is not surprising that Frank's final act was to donate organs, bringing three strangers a miracle they had been hoping for. We feel blessed that he will continue to live on in them."
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