West Hartford Police had continued to investigate the incident that led to the death of 87-year-old Patricia Brulotte in November 2024, and have now arrested and charged an 83-year-old woman in connection with the incident.

By Ronni Newton

An 83-year-old West Hartford woman was arrested via warrant on Tuesday and faces several charges in connection with the fatal striking of Patricia Brulotte, 87, on Oakwood Avenue at the intersection with St. James Street on Nov. 8, 2024.

The incident occurred at 5:06 p.m., as Brulotte, who was still working as a real estate agent, was crossing the Oakwood Avenue in the area of an uncontrolled crosswalk at St. James Street, police said.

She was struck by a northbound vehicle, police said, and the driver of that vehicle remained at the scene and cooperated with police.

Brulotte, who was rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, died as a result of those injuries.

The West Hartford Police Traffic Division continued to investigate the incident, believing that a second vehicle, headed southbound, may have struck Brulotte following the initial impact and fled the scene.

As the investigation of the incident continued, police issued a request just weeks after the incident asking for the public’s help in locating two other vehicles seen in the area. The images of those vehicles were captured on surveillance photos.

Capt. Aaron Vafiades said that although police did not receive any tips after sharing images of the vehicles caught on surveillance, their investigation determined that one of the vehicles was also involved in the incident and had struck Brulotte.

Vafiades said Wednesday that as a result of the continued investigation, Sue Deffenbaugh, 83, of West Hartford, was identified as the operator of a second vehicle that struck Brulotte and fled the scene, and she was arrested via warrant on Tuesday.

Deffenbaugh was charged with evading responsibility resulting in death as well as failure to exercise reasonable care near a vulnerable user on a public way.

Sue Deffenbaugh. Courtesy of West Hartford Police

Bond for Deffenbaugh was set by the court at $400,000, and she was released after posting bond. As a condition of the warrant, she is prohibited from operating a motor vehicle.

Deffenbaugh is due to appear in Hartford Superior Court on April 24, 2025.

The driver of the northbound vehicle that initially struck Brulotte and remained on the scene has not been charged, Vafiades told We-Ha.com. That individual has not been identified.

A vigil for Brulotte was held at the intersection of Oakwood Avenue and St. James Street on Nov. 11 and ghost shoes were placed at the scene. As of Wednesday, the shoes remained hanging from a nearby utility pole.

Brulotte was the second pedestrian to be struck and killed by a vehicle in West Hartford in 2024. In January, 80-year-old David Goldfarb sustained fatal injuries when he was crossing Albany Avenue near Mohegan Drive.

Less than three weeks later, on Nov. 27, 2024, a third pedestrian was struck and killed on a West Hartford roadway. Anne Rapkin, 74, sustained fatal injuries after being hit by a car on Sedgwick Road while walking her dog. The dog also died in that incident. No charges have been filed to date in that incident.

Each time a serious incident occurs, there is a crash response team that analyzes what occurred and contributing factors, and they also may recommend changes. A recommendation was made to increase the wattage in the streetlights on Oakwood Avenue following the incident that resulted in the death of Brulotte.

Re-lamping to provide higher wattage lighting on roadways identified as on the High Injury Network was already a Vision Zero action item before Brulotte was struck, but the replacement of 15-watt, 25-watt, and 32-watt lights with 46-watt lights was accelerated, Town Manager Rick Ledwith said. Brighter lamps were installed on Oakwood Avenue, and make a dramatic difference in the visibility of the crosswalk at the intersection of Oakwood Avenue and St. James Street. That intersection was already slated to also have a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) installed as well – which has been done.

Road safety advocates have requested that the town accelerate its Vision Zero Action Plan with additional quick-build items that are inexpensive yet proven methods of increasing safety for vulnerable users. A supplement to the action plan is being rolled out to the Town Council, Ledwith said.

Police ask that anyone with information related to this investigation, or other serious incident, contact the West Hartford Police Department via the anonymous tip line 860-570-8969 or email [email protected].

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