(New London, CT) – Paul J. Narducci, State’s Attorney for the New London Judicial District, today announced that a Superior Court jury on February 26, 2025 found James Pont, age 63, of Ashaway, R.I., guilty of Negligent Homicide with a Motor Vehicle, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 14-222a, stemming from a fatal motor vehicle crash in Stonington in 2021. The Honorable Jassette A. Henry presided over the trial.
Evidence from the trial showed that the defendant, while in a motor vehicle at 3:26 p.m. on January 18, 2021, crossed the double yellow center line on Pendleton Hill Road in Stonington and collided head-on with a vehicle driven by Ryan Poland, age 39, of North Providence, R.I. Poland died from injuries sustained in the crash. Pont was seriously injured.
Pont was arrested following an investigation by the Connecticut State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Squad (C.A.R.S.) and Connecticut State Police Troop E.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 28, 2025 in New London Superior Court.
The New London State’s Attorney’s Office would like to thank C.A.R.S. and Connecticut State Police Troop E for their work in this case. The Office hopes that the verdict brings some comfort to the family of Mr. Poland.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant State's Attorney Alexandra N. Aksterowicz, with assistance from Inspector Matthew T. Suplee.