CT woman who died in crash involving deer ID’d

A woman has died following a car crash in Easton last week after a deer went through her SUV after it was struck by a motorist heading in the opposite direction.

The victim was identified on Monday as 47-year-old Erin Heneghan of Newtown, according to the Easton Police Department.

Heneghan died a day after she was involved in a car crash reported on Nov. 20 at 9 a.m. on Route 59, in the area of Sherwood Drive, police said.

According to police, a motorist in a 2019 Ford pickup truck heading north on Route 59 struck a large deer that entered the road from the right side. The collision sent the animal airborne and through the driver-side windshield of a Honda Pilot being driven south on Route 59 by Heneghan, police said.

Police said the deer struck Heneghan and continued through the cabin of the vehicle before the animal was ejected through the rear window. The Honda continued south and came to rest in a grassy area on the southbound shoulder up against a utility pole, according to police.

Heneghan was extricated from her vehicle by members of the Easton Fire Department and was taken to Bridgeport Hospital. She was pronounced dead the next day, police said.

According to her LinkedIn page, Heneghan was a real estate agent for eXp Realty and had three adult children. She had worked in leasing and property management since 2001 and owned a consulting business.

The crash remains under investigation by the Fairfield Accident Reconstruction Team with the assistance of the Westport Police Department Accident Reconstruction Team.

Following the fatal accident, the state Department of Transportation this week issued a reminder to motorists to be alert behind the wheel and drive with caution.

“We are reminding motorists to slow down and stay alert behind the wheel,” said Josh Morgan, a spokesperson for the DOT. “Distractions and speeding will make it harder for a driver to stop and avoid a crash.”