A 20-year-old Connecticut driver will avoid prison after pleading guilty to charges stemming from a deadly motorcycle crash caused by distracted driving. Police determined that she crossed into oncoming traffic while looking at the infotainment screen in her Mercedes-Benz SUV.
Anngelina Morton received a 10-year suspended prison sentence and five years of probation on October 15, 2026, for the August 2024 crash in Farmington that killed 31-year-old Justin Gittings and injured two other motorcyclists.
The Mercedes crossed more than four feet over the double yellow centerline on Waterville Road before striking the motorcycles. Morton told police she had looked at the vehicle’s infotainment display after receiving a notification.
The sentencing comes more than two years after the collision and follows a lengthy police investigation, criminal proceedings, and a separate wrongful-death lawsuit filed by Gittings’ family.
Fatal Mercedes Crash
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On August 20, 2024, Morton was driving southbound on Waterville Road, also known as Route 10, when her Mercedes crossed into the northbound lane near Farmington Avenue.
According to the Farmington Police Department’s March 2025 release, the North Central Regional Accident Reconstruction Squad completed an investigation that resulted in an arrest warrant for Morton.
Police determined that she was responsible for the collision involving two motorcycles.
Gittings was transported by LIFE STAR helicopter to Hartford Hospital with severe injuries to his head and lower body. He remained hospitalized for 34 days before dying on September 23, 2024.
Two people riding the second motorcycle also suffered injuries.
Dashboard Distraction
The investigation focused on what drew Morton’s attention away from the road immediately before the collision.
According to WFSB’s reporting on the police investigation, Morton told police she had been looking at her Mercedes’ infotainment center.
Police determined that the SUV traveled approximately 4.14 feet across the double yellow line and remained in the opposing lane for at least five seconds before impact.
A separate wrongful-death complaint filed by Gittings’ estate identifies the vehicle as a 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 4Matic.
The lawsuit alleges that Morton was distracted by a cellphone connected to the SUV’s hands-free interface.
It also alleges she had previously received distracted-driving instruction and signed an agreement prohibiting cellphone use while operating a vehicle.
Those additional claims come from the civil complaint and are separate from the findings established in the criminal proceedings.
Arrest and Sentencing
Morton was arrested on March 6, 2025, after police completed their investigation. She faced second-degree manslaughter, two counts of second-degree assault, reckless driving, distracted driving, and other traffic charges.
She was released after posting a $275,000 bond and initially pleaded not guilty.
In September 2026, Morton changed her plea to guilty to second-degree manslaughter and two counts of second-degree assault.
At her October 15 sentencing, Hartford Superior Court Judge Moira Buckley imposed a suspended 10-year prison sentence and five years of probation.
According to NBC Connecticut, the judge considered Morton’s age when determining the punishment. She had turned 18 just five days before the collision.
The conditions of her probation require Morton to donate $2,000 annually to a charity selected by the victims, read victim impact statements each year on the anniversary of the crash, write apology letters, and speak publicly about distracted driving.
She must also pay a $5,000 fine.
Family Addresses Court
Seventeen people delivered victim impact statements during the sentencing hearing, including family members and the two motorcyclists who survived the collision.
Gittings, originally from Seymour, lived in Meriden and worked as a truck driver.
His family described the lasting impact of his death, while the surviving riders discussed injuries and trauma they continue to experience.
Morton apologized during the hearing and expressed remorse for causing the collision.
The case also remains the subject of a civil wrongful-death action brought by Gittings’ estate against Morton and the Mercedes’ owner, Tammi Morton.
The complaint seeks damages over the collision, including allegations of negligence and recklessness.
The criminal sentence does not resolve those separate civil claims.