Katherine Colon’s family marked what would have been her 43rd birthday by honoring her legacy and renewing calls for accountability nearly three years after she was struck and killed by a New Britain police cruiser.
Family Demands Justice
Colon died after being struck by a New Britain police cruiser in September 2023. Her family continues to demand justice while celebrating the impact she had on those around her.
Then New Britain police officer Connor Reinsch was behind the wheel and responding to a call when the crash happened. Reinsch has since left the city and was sworn in as a Middletown police officer last year, drawing protests over his hiring.
A report from the state’s attorney found both Colon and Reinsch were partially at fault but argued against criminal charges due to a lack of proof.
Colon’s eldest daughter, Maribel Rodriguez, has filed an ongoing civil lawsuit against the city of New Britain and Reinsch. She said the family will continue to seek accountability.
“We’re going to continue to demand justice for Katherine. We’re going to continue to demand that this officer who was negligent is fired, decertified,” Rodriguez said.
Celebrating Colon’s Legacy
Instead of focusing solely on the legal battle, the family spent the day celebrating Colon’s legacy of helping others.
Rodriguez and her siblings hosted a community picnic at Central Park in New Britain, where they gave away 150 trays of hot food to anyone who was hungry. Tables were also set up with harm reduction resources.
“She deserves to be honored, loved, remembered,” Rodriguez said.
Colon’s son, Nate Colon, said caring for others was central to who his mother was.
“She was always looking out for everyone around her, and she was always caring about the people around her,” he said.
The family hopes the outreach effort, which began last year, becomes an annual event that functions like a community center in honor of Colon.
Colon’s daughter, Daniah Sawyer, said the event reflects what her mother would have wanted.
“Bringing light is exactly what my mom would have done. People say thank you but we need more events like these to give back to our community,” she said.
Sawyer said the annual picnic represents what justice looks like for the family.
“If she could be here to do this herself, she absolutely would,” she said.
Original reporting: NBC Connecticut — read the source article.
