State denies lawsuit over trooper’s delayed response in fatal I-84 crash.

The families of Jayan Bryan and D'Yanna Wallace have been denied permission to sue the State of Connecticut following a 2021 crash off Interstate 84, where a delayed response by a state trooper may have impacted the outcome. The Office of the Claims Commissioner rejected the families' request to file a lawsuit, and a legislative committee later upheld that decision.

On February 20, 2021, Bryan and Wallace’s car went off I-84 near the I-691 interchange, landing out of sight in a dimly lit area. A Connecticut state trooper responded to reports of debris on the highway around 1:47 a.m. and moved a piece of the car — a trunk lid with a license plate — off the road. However, the wreck was not located until 7:24 a.m. when daylight made the vehicle more visible. Bryan was deceased when emergency personnel arrived; Wallace survived with serious injuries.

The families, represented by BBB Attorneys and Attorney Peter Bowman, sought to sue for $100 million, arguing that a more thorough search could have led to earlier medical assistance. In rejecting the claim, Deputy Claims Commissioner Edward McAnaney found the trooper made multiple attempts to locate the source of the debris and was not negligent. The decision noted that the vehicle was traveling at high speed, had gone over a guardrail, and that both occupants had elevated blood alcohol levels.

Attorney Bowman and co-counsel argued that the response was insufficient and reflected gaps in training and procedures. They also stated that locating the vehicle sooner may have changed the outcome.

Although the state denied liability, the families have called for reforms in how the Connecticut State Police handle accident investigations and emergency response procedures.