3 people killed in fiery Merritt Parkway chain-reaction crash in Stratford, police say

STRATFORD — Three people died in a fiery hit-and-run crash on the Merritt Parkway early Sunday morning, state police said Monday. Investigators have not been able to identify one of the people who died, according to a preliminary report by the Connecticut State Police. Two of the people who died were identified as Maria E. Vasquez Chacon, 29, of Trenton, N.J. and Joselyn Vasquez-Chacon, 25. They were in the same car, the report said. State police said the three-car crash happened on Route 15 South near Exit 36 about 4:50 a.m. Sunday. According to the report, a 2012 Chrysler 200 and a 2008 Honda Civic were headed south in the right lane, with the third vehicle, a 2014 Lexus ES350, behind them. The Lexus struck the back of the Honda Civic, which then hit the Chrysler, and a fire started, state police said. The driver and two passengers of the Honda Civic — everyone in the car — died, they said. One of the passengers was not identified. The driver of the Lexus fled the scene, police said. The drivers of the Chrysler and the Honda are related, they said. Investigators from the Collision Analysis and Reconstruction and Western District Major Crime squads responded to the scene, police said. Anyone who saw the crash or who has video of it may contact Trooper Drew Smith at 203-696-2500 or at [email protected], police say. This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.