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Woman 23, Charged In Route 15 Crash That Killed Fairfield County Resident

A 23-year-old woman who had a blood alcohol content at twice the legal limit has been charged with manslaughter in the death of a man during a crash on Route 15.

Taylor Madison Stanford, 23

Taylor Madison Stanford, 23

Photo Credit: Connecticut State Police

Taylor Madison Stanford of Milford was arrested Friday by Connecticut State Police in connection with May 27, 2017, crash that took the life of Michael Zawadski, 45, of Stratford, said Trooper Kelly Grant. 

The crash happened on the southbound Wilbur Cross Parkway in the town of Orange when both Stanford and Zawadski’s vehicles were traveling southbound near Exit 57.

According to state police, Stanford’s Volkswagen Jetta was traveling in the left lane “at a high rate of speed," when she veered left off the road, hit a curb, lost control of her vehicle and slammed into Zawadski's 1998 GMC Jimmy.

Zawadski was ejected from his vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene, the accident report said. 

Stanford’s car went off the road, hit a wire rope guardrail, partially ejecting her from the vehicle. 

When officers visited Stanford at the hospital troopers stated in a report that he could smell alcohol and her behavior was erratic. At one point in the interview she began yelling at the trooper and then she would apologize for the crash, the crash report says. 

A blood alcohol test conducted at the hospital found she was driving at twice the legal limit at 0.16%, the report said.

Stanford at her Milford home after 6 p.m. Friday, state police said. She was released after posting a $50,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on July 16.

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