Fairfield police have made an arrest in a pedestrian crash that killed a member of the William Raveis Real Estate family last month.
Meghan Rice, 51, of Newtown, is charged with negligent homicide with a motor vehicle, failure to drive right and traveling unreasonably fast.
"We work hand-in-hand with the court system to determine the best fit charges for the investigation that we conducted," Lt. Michael Paris said.
Paris said Rice fatally hit Meghan Raveis, 45, with her Jeep Wagoneer just before 3 p.m. on June 23 as Raveis was walking along the 500 block of Redding Road less than a quarter-of-a-mile from her home.
Paris said Rice stayed on the scene following the crash and called 911. According to Rice's arrest warrant, Rice told police she didn't remember seeing Raveis before hitting her. Rice also told police she's a nanny. The arrest warrant said Rice was driving toward Westport with three children passengers, who were seated in the second and third rows of Rice's Jeep. Rice and the children were not injured.
Paris said crash reconstructionists determined Rice was traveling around 31 mph in a 25 mph zone when she crossed over the double-yellow line, hit a green mailbox, then hit Raveis from behind as Raveis was walking against traffic. The arrest warrant said the left side of the Jeep's hood was dented, the left headlight was cracked and the driver side view mirror was displaced. The arrest warrant said the displaced side view mirror had green paint smear from the struck mailbox.
The arrest warrant said Rice didn't appear to suffer any medical emergencies prior to the crash and police saw no signs of impairment at the scene. The arrest warrant also said investigators concluded Rice was not texting at the time of the crash after seizing her cell phone. A mechanical inspection found the Jeep was in new condition and had no abnormalities, according to the arrest warrant.
Paris said it remains undetermined what caused Rice to cross over the double-yellow line.
"We haven't been able to get a statement from [Rice] and her attorney as of this point," Paris said. "We've tried. But so far, her attorney has guided her not to give a statement to us."
Raveis was the managing director of the William Raveis Charitable Fund. A memorial campaign has been set up in her honor. Raveis leaves behind her husband, Ryan, the co-president of William Raveis, and their three children.
"As we were able to put these pieces together, we're happy to give some closure to the Raveis family throughout all of these weeks of heartache they've had," Paris said.
Rice was released after posting a $100,000 bond and is due in court July 31.
