Crime & Safety

Arrest Made in Dec. 27 Fatal Accident on Greens Farms Road

Matthew Packer, who was driving the car, was arrested Tuesday on charges of second-degree manslaughter.

The driver in the Dec. 27 car accident on Greens Farms Road that killed Charles M. Rochlin turned himself in to police today after learning a warrant was out for his arrest, according to a news release issued by the Westport Police Department.

Matthew Packer, a 25-year-old New York resident, surrendered to the Westport Police Department by his attorney Andrew Bowman at 8 a.m. today, said Capt. Sam Arciola. Packer was arrested on charges of second-degree manslaughter and operating under the influence of alcohol.

The night of the fatal motor vehicle accident, Packer's blood alcohol content (BAC) was measured at .21, which is nearly three times the legal limit. Packer was Rochlin's childhood friend.

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A condition of the arrest was that Packer was to be arraigned in Norwalk Superior Court this morning where he could post bond and that his passport was to be taken away, according to the release. His bond was set at $250,000. 

Arciola said the arrest wasn't made sooner because the accident required a comprehensive forensic investigation.

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"Cumulatively, when you prepare everything, you want to make sure you have everything in order," he said. "We wanted to make sure it was a thorough investigation."

Rochlin, 24, was a Westport resident and a lance corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps. After completing a seven-month tour in Iraq, Rochlin returned home in September and had been stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. He was scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan in January.


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