State trooper’s DUI case continued without plea

The Route 188 intersection, looking west on Airport Road in Southbury. On Sept. 25, 2019, Sgt. John McDonald of the Connecticut State Police ran the stop sign, crashing into a sedan carrying a Middlebury woman and her teenage daughter in a department unmarked Chevy Impala. Police are investigating whether McDonald, who was leaving a retirement party at the Black Hog Brewery nearby, had been drinking that night. less The Route 188 intersection, looking west on Airport Road in Southbury. On Sept. 25, 2019, Sgt. John McDonald of the Connecticut State Police ran the stop sign, crashing into a sedan carrying a Middlebury woman ... more Photo: Peter Yankowski / Hearst Connecticut Media Photo: Peter Yankowski / Hearst Connecticut Media Image 1 of / 15 Caption Close State trooper’s DUI case continued without plea 1 / 15 Back to Gallery

MIDDLETOWN — A Connecticut state trooper charged in DUI crash that injured a mother and her daughter had his court case continued to Feb. 24 after he was expected to enter a plea on Monday in Middletown Superior Court.

John McDonald, a state police sergeant, was also charged with second-degree assault with a motor vehicle, reckless driving and failure to obey a stop sign following the Sept. 25 crash in Southbury.

The 37-year-old, dressed in a pinstripe suit with balding hair, remained silent and motionless during his brief court appearance. He did not say anything when asked by reporters outside the courthouse whether he had any comment.

Robert Britt, his criminal defense attorney who was walking beside McDonald out of the courthouse, said they would not comment “while the matter is pending.”

According to his arrest warrant, McDonald had about eight drinks at a colleague’s retirement party at an Oxford’s Black Hog brewery and appeared “hammered” later that night after crashing into a woman and her daughter.

Witnesses of the crash described McDonald as “hammered” and swaying back and forth in the middle of the roadway when the first officers arrived at the scene, according to the warrant.

Video from the Black Hog Brewery in Oxford, where the retirement party was held, showed McDonald drinking at least eight alcoholic beverages within about three hours, the warrant said.

After leaving the party, McDonald ran a stop sign at the intersection of Airport Road and Route 188 in Southbury, police said.

State police are also conducting an internal affairs investigation into the party to see if any other troopers there violated department policies.

McDonald serves with the Western District Major Crimes Division out of Troop A in Southbury.

That investigation is still ongoing, according to state police, and McDonald remains suspended. His suspension started Nov. 14.

The T-bone accident sent the family sedan off the road and into the woods. Both women were taken to St. Mary’s Hospital with injuries — Lisa Conroy, 52, suffered an injury to her eye, and her 19-year-old daughter Madison suffered injuries to her arm and wrist.

McDonald was not given a Breathalyzer test at the scene, because he claimed to be injured and was taken to a Waterbury hospital, police said.

He left the hospital before staff could take blood tests, which might have revealed his blood alcohol content, reports said.

A lawsuit has since been filed on behalf of the two women that alleges McDonald had been drinking at the Black Hog Brewery shortly before the collision.

Earlier this month, the Black Hog Brewery agreed to pay out $225,000 for the settlement, said Garrett Moore, the personal injury lawyer representing Lisa Conroy and her daughter Madison, the two women hurt in the crash.

But Moore said the civil suit is still pending against McDonald and the state of Connecticut.

During his last appearance in court, McDonald’s attorney, Robert Britt, cited the need to review of discovery materials. The case was then continued to Jan. 27.

According to the state Judicial Branch pending cases web page, McDonald’s case is “awaiting plea” at Monday’s hearing.