Police said the three-vehicle collision happened Wednesday afternoon at Windsor Avenue and Putnam Highway.
WINDSOR, Conn. — A three-car crash at the intersection of Windsor Avenue and Route 218 killed an 83-year-old Windsor man and sent seven other people to local hospitals Wednesday afternoon, police said, as investigators worked to determine how the collision unfolded.
Authorities identified the man on Thursday as Tan Dinh of Windsor. The crash drew a large emergency response shortly after 2:30 p.m. and shut down a busy stretch of road in town. The immediate stakes were both personal and public: one family was left grieving, seven injured people needed treatment, and police began trying to piece together what happened at one of the town’s major intersections.
Windsor police said officers were called to the intersection at 2:32 p.m. after a report of a crash involving three vehicles. Capt. Andrew Power said emergency crews, including police, ambulance and fire personnel, arrived to find heavy damage and several people involved. One person was pronounced dead at the scene. Police initially withheld the victim’s name while relatives were notified, then identified him the next day as Dinh. The injured victims were taken from the scene to local hospitals. Officials said their injuries were not considered life-threatening. The roadway was affected for hours as first responders treated victims, secured the area and began documenting evidence from the wreck.
Even with the basic outline in place, several important details were still missing by Thursday. Police had not publicly described how the three vehicles collided, which vehicle Dinh was in, or what sequence of events led to the fatal impact. Investigators also had not said whether speed, distraction, mechanical trouble, weather or any medical issue may have played a role. No charges had been announced. Power said the case remained under investigation and asked anyone who saw the collision or had information to contact the Windsor Police Department. That request suggests investigators are still working to fill gaps in the timeline, compare witness statements and match accounts to the physical evidence collected at the scene.
The crash happened at Windsor Avenue and Route 218, also known as Putnam Highway, a well-traveled corridor in Windsor that links local traffic with regional routes. A serious collision at that intersection can quickly affect more than the people inside the vehicles, disrupting afternoon traffic and drawing a wide emergency response. In this case, the toll was unusually high even though only three vehicles were involved: one person died and seven others were hurt. That combination made the crash one of the more severe local roadway incidents of the week. By Thursday, the public record remained limited to the police release and follow-up identification, leaving many of the broader questions unanswered while the investigation continued.
The next steps are now in the hands of investigators. Police are expected to review statements from drivers, passengers and any bystanders, along with photographs, vehicle damage, roadway markings and other evidence from the intersection. Depending on what that review shows, officers could decide whether any enforcement action is warranted or whether the crash will remain classified as a fatal collision with no immediate charges. Officials have not announced a timetable for a final report. For now, the most concrete development after Wednesday’s crash is the identification of Dinh and the confirmation that the seven injured survivors were hospitalized for treatment. Any further public update is likely to come after police complete more witness interviews and evidence review.
The human toll remained at the center of the story as Windsor moved into Thursday. Dinh was identified not as a passerby from out of town, but as a Windsor resident, making the loss especially close to home. At the same time, seven other people were left dealing with injuries from a collision that unfolded in a matter of moments. Police have released no new personal details about the survivors, and no hospital updates were made public. That left a picture of a crash defined by both confirmed facts and lingering uncertainty: a fatal impact in the middle of the day, a broad emergency response, and a community waiting for investigators to explain what happened on a familiar road.
As of Thursday, police had publicly identified the person killed as Tan Dinh, 83, of Windsor, and said the investigation into the three-car crash at Windsor Avenue and Route 218 was still active. The next milestone will be any additional findings or enforcement decision released by the department.
Author note: Last updated March 27, 2026.