Questions Arise About Farmington Fatal Crash Driver's Connection to Aaron Hernandez

Farmington police say they do not know of a connection between a Bristol man who died after crashing into the Farmington Country Club Sunday and the Aaron Hernandez investigation. 

The Hartford Courant reported Tuesday that officials investigating the former New England Patriots star's involvement in the murder of Massachusetts native Odin Lloyd were planning on interviewing Thaddeus L. Singleton III, 33, of Bristol. Singleton was the driver in the 3:36 a.m. Sunday accident that killed him and injured passenger Tabitha Perry, 27, of Bristol. Perry was taken to Hartford Hospital to be treated for "undetermined injuries," police said in a press release.  

"All media outlets that have contacted the Farmington Police Department concerning the accident are attempting to make a connection to the Aaron Hernandez case in Massachusetts," Lt. Colin Ryan of the Farmington Police Department said in a press release. "The Farmington Police Department has no knowledge of the cases being linked and any further inquiries concerning Aaron Hernandez should be directed to Massachusetts authorities."

The white 2005 Nissan Maxima that Singleton was driving in the accident was registered to Andres Valderrama, 68, of Bristol, who the Courant reports is his father-in-law and Hernandez's uncle. USA Today reported that police seized a silver SUV after heavy police presence at Valderrama's Lake Avenue home in Bristol as part of the murder investigation.

The  North Central Municipal Accident Reconstruction Squad is still working to identify the cause of the accident and the police are awaiting the toxicology results. The investigation will be lengthy, police said. 

"It is a safe bet that speed will be a factor in the crash," Ryan wrote in an email to Patch, although this is not confirmed to be the case at this time. 

Singleton has a criminal record and has been cited with many motor vehicle violations, including charges of criminal mischief, failures to appear in court, breach of peace, reckless driving and infractions of operating a motor vehicle while under suspension, according to the Connecticut judicial website. 

He was most recently scheduled to appear in court on July 31 for pre-trial of a Bristol case including a reckless driving charge of driving over 85 miles per hour, second-degree failure to appear in court and operating a vehicle under suspension.