New Milford woman charged in hit-and-run that killed pedestrian

The collision happened on Danbury Road around 9:30 p.m. on Oct. 6. when John Capodanno, 63, was trying to cross from Taco Bell to the Stop & Shop.

Marissa Alter

Mar 28, 2023, 10:04 PM

Updated 620 days ago

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New Milford police have arrested a local woman for a hit-and-run crash that killed a pedestrian nearly six months ago. Maria-Angela Bosch, 41, is charged with evading responsibility.
“We had witnesses who were able to identify the vehicle. We also had a trail of fluids that left the scene and went back to a residence where we found the vehicle,” explained Lt. Lee Grabner.
The collision happened on Danbury Road around 9:30 p.m. on Oct. 6. when John Capodanno, 63, was trying to cross from Taco Bell to the Stop & Shop. Though Bosch was identified quickly, the multi-agency investigation took several months to complete, according to Grabner.
“Some of the delay was waiting for the chief medical examiner to have his full autopsy done, measurements for the scene, and working with the prosecutor’s office to determine exactly what charges are appropriate in the case,” Grabner said.
Bosch initially told police she wasn’t sure what she’d hit, Grabner said. “But she had significant damage to her vehicle, so it was obvious she hit something serious in nature, and she should’ve stopped,” he told News 12.
Bosch turned herself in to police Monday and posted $5,000 bond. She’s due in court in Torrington on April 5. Bosch is not charged with Capodanno’s death. Grabner said that’s, in part, due to where the crash occurred. Danbury Road is a five-lane highway in that area.
“The pedestrian was in the roadway at night, in dark clothing, where there was no cross walk. It's a 45-mph speed limit. It's up to the pedestrian to cross safely,” Grabner said. “We've had several fatal accidents where pedestrians cross the roadway.”
In fact, one month after Capodanno’s death and one mile down Danbury Road, police responded to another deadly crash, this time in front of the Route 7 Travel Plaza. Galo Rafael Guaman, 61, of Danbury, was killed on the night of Nov. 8 after a car slammed into him and never stopped. Within a few days, police had found the car that was involved and identified the driver. Grabner told News 12 Tuesday that the investigation into that crash is almost wrapped up and an arrest is coming, but he added it has a lot of similarities with Bosch’s case.
“There's not a lot of lighting. There are no sidewalks. There are things that are being looked at by the state and town to help improve safety, but right now, it's a very dangerous area to cross the roadway,” Grabner said.