Demonstrators Call for “Justice for Katherine” in Front of the New Britain Police Headquarters

Following state attorney Maureen Platt report issued on February 24, 2024 exonerating New Britain officer Connor Reinsch from any responsibility driving accident where his vehicle struck and killed Katherine Colon on September 21, 2023; Colon’s family, relatives and friends held a rally on Sunday, March 3, 2024 in front of the New Britain police building. The demonstrators called for justice for Katherine and for officer Connor Reinsch and the New Britain police to be held accountable. Among the demonstrators were also Alderpersons Candyce Scott and Nathan Simpson.

The daughter of the desist, Maribel Rodriguez said:

it took them over five months to investigate this tragedy, even though we know they had body camera footage from the dash cam that showed that he did not have his lights on, he was not paying attention to the road and he was speeding excessively when he hit my mother. Yet, they are blaming my mother instead of keeping the officer accountable for what he did… he was excessively speeding without his lights on (responding) to a non-emergency call….

Ms. Rodriguez demanded that officer Connor be, “arrested for recklessly driving without his lights on…We also want him fired from the police station.”

While officer Connor was driving at least 26 mph beyond the speed limit and was paying attention to a man who was walking on the side of the road, the report exonerates him indicating that “it would not be unexpected for the unidentified male pedestrian to ‘attract’ the officer’s attention away from the location of Katherine Colon.” The report blames the victim, Katherine Colon, for the accident because she was intoxicated, was dressed in black clothes, and was making “a series of unsafe and improper movements which were the causative factors for the collision, placing herself in unnecessary danger.”

In her final note, Maribel Rodriguez noted that:

This is not just a problem that killed my mom. This is a problem that is still happening. Officers are speeding up and down the street without their lights on and it’s unacceptable because it can happen to another individual…I’m tired of the city police not keeping their officials accountable for the power that they hold.