Woman Sues Town After Horrific Accident

A local woman is suing the Town of Waterford after a town employee driving a town vehicle allegedly ran a red light in 2010 and hit her car, sending the woman into the hospital for over a month and leaving her with lifelong injuries.

On Nov. 16, 2010, Waterford Utility Commission employee Fred Lathrop was driving a town vehicle when he allegedly ran a red light at the intersection of Cross Road and Parkway North and hit Donna Antczak in her vehicle, according to a legal complaint written by lawyer Joseph Barnes of the Reardon Law Firm. Antczak suffered life-threatening injuries, which will affect her for life, according to the complaint.

Antczak later sued the town for "fair, just and reasonable money damages,” punitive and exemplary damages and attorney’s fees, according to the complaint. The town offered a compromise to Antczak in May, and in August the case was referred to a court-annexed mediation program.

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On Nov. 16, 2010, Lathrop allegedly ran a red light on Cross Road and hit Antczak’s car, according to the complaint. Antczak was left with lacerations to her scalp, a left temporal lobe fracture to her skull, cranial nerve palsy in her left eye, a collapsed lung, a left-side plural effusion, a traumatic brain injury, an intracranial hemorrhage, a fractured pelvis, an acetabula fracture, a fractured sacrum, a fractured vertebrae, deep vein thrombosis, memory loss, difficulty speaking and bruises throughout her body, the complaint said.

After spending time in the emergency room, she spent one month at the Gaylord Rehabilitation Hospital, according to the complaint. Antczak lost her job because of her injuries, which were described as permanent, as she still suffers from mental and physical pain, according to the complaint.

First Selectman Dan Steward said the town’s insurance company would be responsible for any settlement. He said the accident was unfortunate and Lathrop feels terrible about it.

A Friday morning phone call to Barnes was not returned.