Weekend Blizzard Claims Seven in Connecticut

Feb. 12, 2013
The Blizzard of 2013 claim seven people in Connecticut alone with several people succumbing to carbon monoxide poisoning and others for heart attacks and another from injuries from a hit and run.

Feb. 12--Carbon monoxide poisoning, a hit-and-run and heart attacks during snow removal apparently claimed seven lives in the aftermath of the weekend blizzard.

State police at the Bethany barracks are asking the public for help as they investigate the hit-and-run death of Mary McCormack, 79, who was snowblowing her Prospect driveway when she was hit by a car. The driver did not stop, police said.

State troopers were called to 7 Straitsville Road at 8:35 p.m. Friday night. She was taken to St. Mary's Hospital in Waterbury, where she died. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Trooper Carl Schlicker at 203-393-4200.

Two Manchester men died while clearing snow during the storm, Fire Chief Robert Bycholski said Monday. A 67-year-old man was found about 1:30 p.m. Saturday in the Charter Oak Street area next to a snow blower, the chief said.

And the wife of a 51-year-old man found her husband down in their driveway off Prospect Street about 4:55 p.m. The man was last seen 30 to 40 minutes earlier shoveling snow, Bycholski said.

Their identities were not immediately available.

In Shelton, Raymond McPadden, 49, the owner of Mr. Mac's Canteen restaurants in Milford and Monroe, was apparently stricken while trying to dig out his truck early Saturday.

Police, firefighters and an ambulance were called to Darrin Drive about 4 a.m. They found McPadden unconscious and not breathing, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said they think his truck became struck as he plowed his driveway, and that he was stricken while trying to shovel out his truck. McPadden was found by a neighbor, who looked for him after McPadden's wife became alarmed that he had not returned home.

A 63-year-old Bridgeport man was found dead and covered with snow about 12:20 p.m. Saturday at his Old Town Road home. A relative came upon the man and called police.

He was last seen going toward the back of the house between 10 and 10:30 p.m. Friday, police spokesman William Kaempffer said. He declined to release the man's name.

On Sunday in Meriden, a man and a woman were found dead in a snow-covered car. Police said Carlos Rodriguez, 20, of 11 Webster St., and Zhane Brown, 18, of 13 Webster St. were last seen about 9:30 p.m. Saturday when they went to sit in the car and listen to music. Snow blocked the exhaust pipe, and the two apparently were overcome by carbon monoxide.

A Danbury man died outside of his home during the storm. Initial reports were that fell off his porch, but police believe he had a medical condition. Police Chief Al Baker said police do not consider the man's death storm-related.

Copyright 2013 - The Hartford Courant

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