Motorcyclist In Serious Condition After Hit-and-Run

Police say a Naugatuck man struck a motorcyclist in Middlebury Friday night, fled the scene and then went to a local bar Friday night. 

David Winckler, 52, whose last known address was at 55 Porter Ave., is accused of hitting motorcyclist Angelo T. Ligi, 60, of Prospect. Ligi's 1995 Harley Davidson motorcycle flipped over, ejecting him from the bike; he was listed in serious condition at Waterbury Hospital, police say.

Winckler, who was driving a 1998 Toyota Camry, fled the scene, police say. Police brought in a K-9 unit that eventually tracked the scent of the Camry to a senior housing complex; police said they later tracked Winckler to the bar at Maggie McFly's Restaurant. 

The incident occurred at the intersection of Straits Turnpike sometime before 8:32 p.m. when Winckler attempted to turn left from Straits Turnpike onto Woodside Avenue, police said. 

When Middlebury Police Department and Middlebury Fire Department personnel arrived on the scene at approximately 8:32 p.m., police and fire personnel worked on Ligi until AMR paramedics arrived on the scene and took over. Ligi was transported by ambulance to Waterbury Hospital, police said.

Police began searching for the Toyota Camry and located it, unoccupied, at the Woodside Heights senior housing complex at the top of Woodside Avenue.

Officer Edward Demers began a track with his K-9 "JJ" and tracked into a heavily wooded and rocky area. Connecticut State Police Troop A in Southbury and Naugatuck police assisted with setting up a perimeter.

When the track went cold, a second K-9 team from the Connecticut State Police arrived and picked up the track, which headed behind a business on Woodside Avenue.

While the track was going on, officers checked Maggie McFly’s and found the driver of the Camry standing in the bar area, Wildman stated. The Connecticut State Police K-9 track led to Maggie McFly’s after picking up the scent, according to a news release.

Wincker was charged with second-degree assault and evading responsibility. He was held on $25,000 bond as of Friday night.

The accident scene included evidence gathering, mapping and photography and was handled by the Central Naugatuck Valley Accident Investigation Team. Traffic, lighting, and scene safety was handled by the Middlebury Fire Department, which remained on scene to the entire accident was processed. 

Officer Todd Adams is the lead investigator of this accident, and he is assisted by Officer Al Cronin and Officer Demers of the Middlebury Police Department.