High school volleyball coach, restaurant owner charged with DUI after deadly pedestrian crash

ROCKY HILL, Conn. (WFSB/Gray News) - A high school volleyball coach has been charged with driving under the influence after a deadly crash Sunday night in Connecticut.

Police identified the driver as 23-year-old Sarah Bezdelovs.

The superintendent of Rocky Hill Public Schools confirmed that Bezdelovs was the head volleyball coach at the high school and that she has been placed on administrative leave following the crash.

According to police, Bezdelovs struck a pedestrian on Glastonbury Avenue around 8:40 p.m. The victim was identified as 65-year-old Miguel Collado. He was brought to the hospital but later died.

“My heart goes out to their family. Please also keep our first responders in your thoughts. They’ve seen far too much these past few weeks,” Rocky Hill Mayor Allan Smith said.

Bezdelovs remained at the scene and was taken into custody on a DUI charge. Her court date is scheduled for later this month.

State business records also listed Bezdelovs as the property owner of Ferry Grill in Rocky Hill, a seasonal restaurant. She was said to have been working that night before the deadly collision occurred.

John Stevens, who lives on Glastonbury Avenue, said he came home Sunday night to the crash scene.

“It was a horrible thing to see,” he said.

Stevens said he did not know the victim personally but would often see him around town picking up bottles and cans.

“He was the nicest guy in the world who wouldn’t hurt anybody. He just goes about town collecting bottles and cans,” Stevens said.

The mayor of Rocky Hill and other residents said Collado had a history of walking down the middle of the road and had nearly been struck by vehicles in the past.

Collado recently started wearing a reflective vest, which one neighbor said he was wearing the night of the crash, as Glastonbury Avenue does not have sidewalks.

City officials said a sidewalk project has been proposed for the area.

“I don’t know if that would’ve changed the circumstances of what happened last night, but we’ve identified that as a problem area,” Smith said.