The woman charged in connection with a drunken driving crash that killed an off-duty Connecticut police officer and his longtime girlfriend last month is in the U.S. illegally, federal authorities said. The crash, which occurred on July 13, claimed the lives of Bridgeport Police Officer Cooper Whiteside, 38, and Brittany Islami, 34.
Federal authorities lodged a detainer against Melissa Esperanza Ramirez-Romero, 27, days after her arrest in connection with the crash. Ramirez-Romero is charged with two counts of second-degree manslaughter with a motor vehicle, operating under the influence, traveling unreasonably fast, and failure to drive in the proper lane.
Ramirez-Romero was taken to Danbury Hospital with serious injuries following the crash, which occurred on Sugar Hollow Road around 2:45 a.m. A Jeep Compass collided head-on with a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, killing the officer and his passenger instantly.
Officer Whiteside, a Danbury native who dreamed of becoming a police officer since childhood, served with the Bridgeport Police Department for two years before his tragic death. The department mourned his loss, saying he "served with selfless dedication" and extending its condolences to his family and loved ones.
Connecticut officials were forced to correct false claims that Ramirez-Romero had been registered to vote. Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas clarified that Ramirez-Romero has never been registered to vote in Connecticut, and an innocent U.S. citizen with the same name had been mistakenly identified online, leading to death threats.
Ramirez-Romero remains held on a $500,000 bond pending her next court appearance. Federal authorities have urged state officials not to release her if she is freed from custody, citing her immigration status.
