Florinda Tineo, Jeannette Tineo, 2 Killed in Car Accident in Newington, CT

Newington, CT — April 19, 2025, Four people were killed following a car accident that occurred at around 9:00 A.M. on Willard Avenue.

An investigation is underway following a car accident that left four people dead during the morning hours of April 19th. According to official reports, a vehicle was traveling on Willard Avenue at the Greenlawn Avenue intersection, when a speeding vehicle struck its rear, causing it to then skid and strike another vehicle head-on.

When first responders arrived on the scene, they found that four people, Florinda and Jeannette Tineo, a 17-year-old girl, and one other person had sustained fatal injuries and were pronounced deceased. The driver of the speeding vehicle sustained only minor injuries, and at this time there has been no further information released from the accident, including whether any charges will be filed, however this remains an ongoing investigation and more details may be released by authorities in the future.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a rear-end collision causes a vehicle to spin out and then collide head-on with another, especially resulting in four fatalities, it is essential that the investigation extend far beyond the question of speeding. Crashes involving multiple impacts and multiple victims demand a detailed, disciplined approach that begins with three essential questions—each aimed at uncovering how and why this chain of events unfolded the way it did.

First, was the crash scene fully and meticulously examined? Investigators must determine the exact speeds involved, the trajectory of the vehicle that was rear-ended, and the angle and severity of each impact. The point of initial contact, the amount of force transferred in the secondary collision, and the time and distance between impacts are all critical pieces of information. Understanding how the rear impact led to a complete loss of control is especially important in evaluating whether any evasive action was even possible. These findings form the basis of any reliable crash reconstruction.

Second, has the possibility of a mechanical or safety system failure been examined? While the speeding behavior appears to be a central factor, it’s also crucial to determine how the impacted vehicle responded upon being struck. Did the vehicle’s electronic stability system or anti-lock brakes engage? Was the crashworthiness of the vehicle compromised in a way that made the head-on collision unsurvivable? Additionally, the performance of seatbelts, airbags, and other restraint systems must be analyzed to assess whether the severity of injuries was worsened by any system failures. When so many lives are lost in a single event, it’s essential to confirm whether the vehicles performed as designed—or if they failed in ways that contributed to the outcome.

Third, has all relevant electronic data from the vehicles been gathered and analyzed? All vehicles involved, particularly the speeding one, likely contain electronic control modules (ECMs) that store critical pre-crash data. This includes vehicle speed, throttle application, braking effort, and steering inputs in the moments before the crash. This data can confirm whether the driver of the speeding vehicle attempted to slow down or correct their course, and it can help validate or challenge witness accounts. ECM data from the impacted vehicles can also provide a timeline of how quickly the situation escalated and whether safety systems activated properly. Surveillance footage or other external recordings may also be critical to reconstructing the event accurately.

In multi-vehicle crashes with fatalities, especially involving a chain reaction initiated by excessive speed, the public deserves more than assumptions and headlines. By asking and answering these three questions—focused on scene analysis, vehicle performance, and digital evidence—investigators can deliver a complete, fact-based account of what occurred. For the families of those lost, that’s the only way to ensure that every aspect of what happened is truly understood—and that nothing that could have been prevented is overlooked.