The Danbury News-Times and WTNH are reporting that the Candlewood Lake Authority and the five towns surrounding the lake are being sued for "willful, wanton and reckless disregard for safety" in regards to an accident last year.
Attorney Agostinho Ribeiro of Danbury made those charges Wednesday after filing papers announcing his intent to sue the towns, all the members of the lake authority, and all members of the authority's Candlewood Lake Patrol, which works part-time in the summer to enforce boating laws on the lake -- 48 parties in all.
At the same time, two other attorneys -- David Bennett of Danbury and Russell Palmer of Middletown -- filed similar papers, announcing their intent to sue the towns, the authority and the patrol.
Bennett represents Kevin Sullivan of Bridgewater, who was seriously injured in the accident. Palmer represents William D'Addio, of Mahopac, N.Y., who owned a small bass boat involved in the accident.
The accident occurred early in the morning of July 19, when three men -- Wanat, Sullivan and Richard Layton Jr. of New Milford -- left Down the Hatch Restaurant in Brookfield and roared off in Layton's 24-foot speedboat into the dark on Candlewood Lake.
In the narrow channel between Vaughns Neck and Chimney Point, Layton's boat struck a small bass boat manned by D'Addio and Michael Iannucci, 35, of Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.
Layton and Wanat were killed, and Sullivan was badly injured. D'Addio and Iannucci were hospitalized briefly after the accident.
"My client was in a medically induced coma for a month and was in the hospital for months,'' Bennett said of Sullivan, who finally returned to work with the Danbury Fire Department in December.
"The Wanat family has been devastated by this accident," Ribeiro said. "They want to prevent others from being involved in similar accidents."
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On September 26, 2007, ten plaintiffs filed suit in response to an arrest of aday laborers at a public park in Danbury, Connecticut. Plaintiffs amended their complaint on November 26, 2007.
The amended complaint states that plaintiffs sought to remedy the continued discriminatory and unauthorized enforcement of federal immigration laws against the Latino residents of the City of Danbury by Danbury's mayor and its police department.
Plaintiffs allege that the arrests violated their Fourth Amendment rights and the Connecticut Constitution because defendants conducted the arrests without valid warrants, in the absence of exigent circumstances, and without probable cause to believe that plaintiffs were engaged in unlawful activity. In addition, plaintiffs allege that defendants improperly stopped, detained, investigated, searched and arrested plaintiffs. Plaintiffs also allege that defendants violated their Fourteenth Amendment rights when they intentionally targeted plaintiffs, and arrested and detained them on the basis of their race, ethnicity and perceived national origin. Plaintiffs raise First Amendment, Due Process and tort claims.
Plaintiffs request declaratory relief, damages and attorneys fees.
On September 26, 2007, ten plaintiffs filed suit in response to an arrest of aday laborers at a public park in Danbury, Connecticut. Plaintiffs amended their complaint on November 26, 2007.
