Greenwich police identify 21-year-old killed in utility pole crash

GREENWICH — Greenwich police identified 21-year-old Franklin Sousa-Filho as the driver killed in a crash on Ritch Avenue West early Sunday. Officer Sabrina Diaz said Sousa-Filho was pronounced dead after he was extricated from a vehicle. The passenger involved in the collision sustained serious injuries and is in stable condition, Diaz said on Monday. “The Greenwich Police Department extends its sincere condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones affected by this tragic incident,” Diaz said. Diaz said a Greenwich officer conducting radar enforcement on Delavan Avenue at 2:09 a.m. observed a Lexus LS400 traveling eastbound at an estimated speed of 50 mph in a posted 25-mph zone. The officer then saw the vehicle proceed through a red traffic signal at the intersection of Delavan Avenue and Frontage Road, according to Diaz. Diaz said the officer turned to travel in the same direction as the vehicle to conduct a motor vehicle stop. A short time later, the officer found the vehicle had crashed on Ritch Avenue West adjacent to the Byram Shore tennis courts, Diaz said. The vehicle sustained significant damage after striking a roadside utility pole, she said, noting officers, firefighters and emergency medical personnel responded to the scene. The Greenwich Police Department Crash Reconstruction Team is investigating the incident. Anyone with information related to the collision is asked to contact Traffic Sergeant JD Smith at 203-622-8015 or [email protected]. This story includes previous reporting from staff writers Jessica Bravo and Joshua LaBella.