Cell phone use, alcohol may have played role in fatal weekend crash

From TheDay.com:

Phyllis Porter, a well-known Norwich businesswoman and civic leader, was on her way home from her weekly Sunday brunch with friends when a car crossed into her lane on Route 32 and ended her life.

Wednesday, as Porter's family members recalled a kind woman with an insatiable thirst for knowledge, the New York woman who is accused of causing the fatal crash after leaving Mohegan Sun awaits her arraignment, scheduled for next month.

Lisette Oblitas-Cruz, 28, was charged with using a cell phone while driving, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and evading responsibility. Norwich Supervisory Assistant State's Attorney Thomas Griffin would not say if she would face additional charges since Porter died from her injuries.

Oblitas-Cruz had just left Mohegan Sun and was driving her Nissan Xterra south on Route 32 in Montville at about 1:45 p.m. Sunday, police said.

State police said troopers, as part of their investigation, conduct a background check on a person's whereabouts during the 24 hours leading up to the crash. However, state police would not elaborate beyond that, citing the ongoing investigation.

As she approached the Route 2A connector, she crashed into the back of a Toyota Sienna. The crash forced the Toyota into the northbound side of the roadway, where it collided with a Hyundai Elantra driven by Porter, 77, of Norwich. Porter's family said she was likely heading home from her weekly Sunday brunch at Ed's Country Kitchen in Montville.

Porter was taken to The William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich, then air-lifted to Hartford Hospital, where she died as a result of her injuries.

The driver and passenger of the Toyota were also taken to Backus for treatment of possible injuries, according to an accident summary.

Police said all three cars sustained heavy damage. The Toyota and the Hyundai were totalled, police said.

Porter had owned and operated the former Porter's Florists, now Mohegan Flowers & Gifts, for 50 years.

She was also a member of the Montville Historical Society and Chamber of Commerce, among many other civic groups, her family said.

Her family said one of her proudest moments was earning her bachelor's degree from the University of Rhode Island when she was 50.

”She had a love of learning,” said her daughter, Shirley Migliaccio, of Stratford. “She never ever stopped learning and looking for new interests. She was an artist and a musician … she played the violin, viola and piano. Her artistic creativity found its place in the flower shop.”

Migliaccio said her mother wasn't a vindictive person and didn't raise her children to be that way. But, she said, she did want to see Oblitas-Cruz prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law to bring attention to the consequences of drunken driving.

”There has to be some kind of legal action to get this person off of the road,” she said.

Migliaccio added that, because of its location, her mother witnessed many crashes in front of her flower shop and would go outside to help when she could.

”She had a beautiful spirit and reached out to others her whole life,” she said.