Tragedy in CT...reminder to be smart!
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From: Windsor, Connecticut
Tragedy in CT...reminder to be smart!
Yet another reminder to be careful. Poor kids, my heart goes out to their families. What really hits home is that I live maybe 5-10 miles from where this happened, drive that highway everyday, and I drive a redline 350z.....
The link didn't work so here's the aritcle....
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Cousins Close In Life, Death
May 22, 2003
By ROSELYN TANTRAPHOL, Courant Staff Writer
WINDSOR LOCKS -- Joshua K. Zononi and his cousin, Justin Blow, were born the same year, just six months apart, and grew up together.
"They went to school together, they graduated together," said Pat Ruggiero, the teens' grandfather. "They planned their vacations together. They were going to go to Las Vegas, drive out there."
"They did everything together," Ruggiero said, adding quietly, "including dying I guess."
The two recent high school graduates from Windsor Locks, riding in the same car Tuesday evening, died in a fiery one-car crash on I-91. State police said that Zononi's two-door 2003 Nissan 350Z was southbound on the highway in Enfield when, according to witnesses, it began racing with two cars believed to be BMWs.
Around 8:30 p.m., near Exit 45 in East Windsor, the driver of the Nissan lost control, and the car went through the guardrail, rolling several times. Both teens were thrown from the car, which became engulfed in flames, according to police.
Zononi, 18, died at the scene, police said. Blow, 19, was taken by ambulance to Hartford Hospital, where he later died, according to the hospital and family members.
Sgt. J. Paul Vance, a state police spokesman, said that police are not making assumptions about who was driving the car.
Witnesses were unable to provide any information about the registration plates of the other two cars, and state police are asking anyone who saw the red Nissan, or what could have been the other two vehicles, to call Troop H at 860-534-1000.
"They could provide us with valuable information in this investigation," Vance said.
Wednesday, family and friends gathered at the Greenwood Road home where Joshua Zononi lived with his mother, Lee Zononi, and Ruggiero, the grandfather who helped raise him.
Lee Zononi lost her only son. Blow, who lived on North Street, was the oldest of four boys in his family. "Devastated," Ruggiero said. "Absolutely devastated."
The family said the teens, who graduated from Windsor Locks High School last year, enjoyed playing basketball together. Zononi had been an honors student and had enrolled at Asnuntuck Community College, but had taken time off from college to work. He planned on returning to school and eventually becoming a doctor.
Even at work the two cousins weren't far apart. Zononi worked as a Transportation Security Administration security guard at Bradley International Airport, and Blow worked at the Sheraton Hotel inside the airport, the family members said.
Family members said they are still waiting to hear from police exactly how the accident happened. Zononi, an enterprising computer whiz who bought his new car about a month ago, was not a fast driver, they said.
"He was afraid to drive fast," said Zononi's father, Ken, who is divorced from Lee Zononi, but lives nearby. "He wanted me to drive the car to see how fast it would go."
The link didn't work so here's the aritcle....
************************************************
************************************************
Cousins Close In Life, Death
May 22, 2003
By ROSELYN TANTRAPHOL, Courant Staff Writer
WINDSOR LOCKS -- Joshua K. Zononi and his cousin, Justin Blow, were born the same year, just six months apart, and grew up together.
"They went to school together, they graduated together," said Pat Ruggiero, the teens' grandfather. "They planned their vacations together. They were going to go to Las Vegas, drive out there."
"They did everything together," Ruggiero said, adding quietly, "including dying I guess."
The two recent high school graduates from Windsor Locks, riding in the same car Tuesday evening, died in a fiery one-car crash on I-91. State police said that Zononi's two-door 2003 Nissan 350Z was southbound on the highway in Enfield when, according to witnesses, it began racing with two cars believed to be BMWs.
Around 8:30 p.m., near Exit 45 in East Windsor, the driver of the Nissan lost control, and the car went through the guardrail, rolling several times. Both teens were thrown from the car, which became engulfed in flames, according to police.
Zononi, 18, died at the scene, police said. Blow, 19, was taken by ambulance to Hartford Hospital, where he later died, according to the hospital and family members.
Sgt. J. Paul Vance, a state police spokesman, said that police are not making assumptions about who was driving the car.
Witnesses were unable to provide any information about the registration plates of the other two cars, and state police are asking anyone who saw the red Nissan, or what could have been the other two vehicles, to call Troop H at 860-534-1000.
"They could provide us with valuable information in this investigation," Vance said.
Wednesday, family and friends gathered at the Greenwood Road home where Joshua Zononi lived with his mother, Lee Zononi, and Ruggiero, the grandfather who helped raise him.
Lee Zononi lost her only son. Blow, who lived on North Street, was the oldest of four boys in his family. "Devastated," Ruggiero said. "Absolutely devastated."
The family said the teens, who graduated from Windsor Locks High School last year, enjoyed playing basketball together. Zononi had been an honors student and had enrolled at Asnuntuck Community College, but had taken time off from college to work. He planned on returning to school and eventually becoming a doctor.
Even at work the two cousins weren't far apart. Zononi worked as a Transportation Security Administration security guard at Bradley International Airport, and Blow worked at the Sheraton Hotel inside the airport, the family members said.
Family members said they are still waiting to hear from police exactly how the accident happened. Zononi, an enterprising computer whiz who bought his new car about a month ago, was not a fast driver, they said.
"He was afraid to drive fast," said Zononi's father, Ken, who is divorced from Lee Zononi, but lives nearby. "He wanted me to drive the car to see how fast it would go."
Last edited by zpeed350; May 22, 2003 at 07:03 AM.
zspeed350, I posted in the Northeast Forum my response to this as I read the article myself this morning.
Very sad indeed and another unfortunate reminder to be careful. Last night the roads were wet and there were intermittent showers which I am sure had an effect on their losing control. There is never a good reason to be street racing and if you even dare do it in rainy weather you are asking for trouble.
Nevertheless, we've all done stupid things at one time or another and some of us have been more fortunate than others. These tragic stories hopefully will make some of us realize the potential dangers of street racing and will save future lives.
My prayers go out to the families of these young men.
Very sad indeed and another unfortunate reminder to be careful. Last night the roads were wet and there were intermittent showers which I am sure had an effect on their losing control. There is never a good reason to be street racing and if you even dare do it in rainy weather you are asking for trouble.
Nevertheless, we've all done stupid things at one time or another and some of us have been more fortunate than others. These tragic stories hopefully will make some of us realize the potential dangers of street racing and will save future lives.
My prayers go out to the families of these young men.
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From: TennessZee
My heart goes out to the two families and host of friends that these guys surly had. 
Everyone, please be smart and don't take chances. It only takes one bad decision for things to go horribly wrong. Please race only on the track and live to cruise another day.
My prayers are with these two families.
Wayne
Everyone, please be smart and don't take chances. It only takes one bad decision for things to go horribly wrong. Please race only on the track and live to cruise another day.
My prayers are with these two families.
Wayne
My heart goes out to the family also.
Yes, it only take one second for something so right, to go so wrong... I learn that when I had an accident with my Passat, fully modified with 18" Yokohoma tires, and I still lost control. It was so fast that it took me a while to fully understand what happened.
I got lucky as I skid in a residental area, I didn't hit any mailbox or light pole, and a new house build a brick wall and I skim it at 45 degree and it stop me on the sidewalk after I jump the curve.
I know I was very lucky, I could of hit some granny walking their dog, some kids, or even someone's house.... After that, I tone down my driving ALOT. I got lucky I got a second chance, sadly, those kids didn't.
Yes, it only take one second for something so right, to go so wrong... I learn that when I had an accident with my Passat, fully modified with 18" Yokohoma tires, and I still lost control. It was so fast that it took me a while to fully understand what happened.
I got lucky as I skid in a residental area, I didn't hit any mailbox or light pole, and a new house build a brick wall and I skim it at 45 degree and it stop me on the sidewalk after I jump the curve.
I know I was very lucky, I could of hit some granny walking their dog, some kids, or even someone's house.... After that, I tone down my driving ALOT. I got lucky I got a second chance, sadly, those kids didn't.
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Sad.
Even more sad is the fact that I've become numb, thick skinned to this sort of thing. Not a weekend goes by where I don't read about new/young riders on sportbikes dieing or crashing on the various boards I belong to.
Youth != invulnerable;
Even more sad is the fact that I've become numb, thick skinned to this sort of thing. Not a weekend goes by where I don't read about new/young riders on sportbikes dieing or crashing on the various boards I belong to.
Youth != invulnerable;
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From: United States
8 years
bumping this just because it was 8 years ago today. no i dont own a 350 but i was friends with both of them. Please everybody, drive safe. i know you dont think its a big deal, but think about your friends and family. this accident DEVASTATED our town. they were just kids! RIP Justin and Josh. we love you and miss you every day.
If you're going to race, do it on the track... It's a really dumb idea to street race especially if you don't know the car and your limits.
Just cause the car is really well designed doesn't mean it'll carry you throughout every stupid decision you make.
Just cause the car is really well designed doesn't mean it'll carry you throughout every stupid decision you make.
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From: Florida
Thank You for this ray of intelligence. It takes years behind the wheel to become just an average driver, let alone good enough to handle a car like a Z when pushed to it's limits. One of the problems with modern cars is that most have much higher performance then most people can handle. The 350Z is way too much car for most young drivers. Any idiot can floor a car and make it go. But it takes a very good driver to hold things together when the car decides to go out of control. In a Z, it happens very fast. You screw up and you can end for end these cars in a heartbeat. Don't let this tragedy be a waste. Learn form this and know your limits and don't push your vehicle to it's limits on the public highways. That kind of stuff should be strictly limited to race tracks.
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