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Town of Clinton to Pay $14M to Man Injured in 2005 Crash

A man who was severely injured in a car crash in 2005 was awarded $14 million in court Tuesday after a jury found the town of Clinton responsible for the crash.

The jury award was announced Tuesday by Michael A. Stratton of Stratton Faxon law firm, who represented plaintiff Walker Hopkins, who suffered brain damage in the 2005 crash in Clinton.

According to Stratton, Matthew Vincent, a Clinton resident and a volunteer with the town's fire department, was driving to the Clinton Crossing outlet shops on Aug. 5, 2005, where he was working as a security supervisor. Shortly before reaching the mall, Vincent's vehicle was struck by a vehicle in which Walker Hopkins was a passenger. Hopkins was 19 years old at the time of the crash.

Vincent, who had been issued a "Blue Light Permit" by the state to use in fire duties, activated his blue lights after the crash and pursued the other vehicle, Stratton said. Vincent called the Clinton Police Department and was encouraged by dispatcher Ellen Vece to continue chasing the car, according to Stratton.

After an eight-minute chase, Hopkins' car crashed into a tree. The jury, which heard the case over one week, found the town of Clinton negligent and the cause of Walker Hopkins' injuries.

Hopkins, now 25, is expected to be institutionalized for the rest of life, and $14 million will go toward his medical costs, Joel Faxon of Stratton Faxon law firm said Tuesday night.