Lawsuit claims both drivers acted negligently in fatal 2023 Farmington crash

The family of 19-year-old Cassidy Lawlor has filed a wrongful death lawsuit following a fatal crash involving a pickup truck and an ambulance in Farmington, Connecticut, in October 2023. The lawsuit, filed in Hartford Superior Court, names both drivers involved, the ambulance company, and others as defendants.

According to court documents, Lawlor was a passenger in a pickup truck driven by Alexander Vassiliou that was traveling west on Route 4 on October 23, 2023. The vehicle collided with an AMR (American Medical Response) ambulance driven by EMT Caitlin Abrantes, who was heading east with the vehicle’s lights and sirens activated.

The lawsuit alleges that Abrantes attempted a left turn near the Interstate 84 off-ramp and entered the path of the oncoming pickup, causing the crash. It claims the turn was made in an unsafe and illegal location and that she failed to yield the right-of-way. It also alleges that Vassiliou was driving at an excessive speed and did not yield to the emergency vehicle.

Lawlor suffered severe injuries and was airlifted to Hartford Hospital, where she died on November 26, 2023—more than a month after the crash. Vassiliou was later arrested on multiple charges, including negligent homicide with a motor vehicle and possession of a controlled substance. He has pleaded not guilty.

The lawsuit seeks more than $15,000 in damages to cover medical and funeral expenses. In addition to Abrantes, Vassiliou, and AMR, the suit also names Lawlor’s auto insurance company, USAA General Indemnity Company, and the registered owner of the pickup truck.

The case remains pending in Hartford Superior Court.