Chris Pettee, 29, the East Granby boys soccer coach, was killed Sunday morning after his car collided with another car and rolled down an embankment on I-684 in New York, a state trooper said Monday.
Speed was a factor in the crash, said Investigator Joseph Becerra of the Hawthorne barracks in Westchester County. The New York State Police are waiting for the results of toxicology tests before they can determine the precise cause, he said.
The car was split into three pieces, Becerra said; it was the first time in his 27-year career with the state police that he has seen that kind of damage in a crash, he said.
The wreck was so bad, firefighters had to use thermal imaging cameras to search the crash site in case there were more victims.
Pettee was in his fourth year as soccer coach in East Granby. The Crusaders were 9-6-1 this season and are set to play in the Class S tournament later this week. East Granby is ranked 11th in the Class S standings.
In January 2011, Pettee was promoted from his job as the fitness manager at the New York Sports Club in West Hartford to the same position at the White Plains Club in New York. But he continued coaching at East Granby because of his love for the players and the school.
"I couldn't give it up," Pettee told The Courant last September.
He commuted back and forth to the school during the week. But he said he didn't mind the drive.
Pettee, who played at Granby High school, was 36-25-3 in his four seasons at East Granby and led the Crusaders to two quarterfinal appearances in three years. East Granby was 3-12-1 the year before Pettee took over.
Current Granby coach Dave Emery was an assistant when Pettee played at the school. Pettee was part of two championship teams at Granby in 2000 and 2001 according to Emery.
"I will remember Chris for his unbridled passion for the sport of soccer," Emery said. "He was a fierce and fiery competitor who played every game as if it was his last, with a blazing first step and nose for the goal, he was a formidable offensive threat."
Becerra, the state trooper, said Pettee?s southbound car was north of exit 3 on I-684 in the Armonk section of North Castle when it struck another car from behind about 12:20 a.m. Sunday. The 30-year-old driver of that car was not seriously injured, he said.
Pettee?s car then rolled off the highway and went down the embankment. No other cars besides the woman?s was struck, he said.
?Thank God there was not a lot of traffic at that hour,? Becerra said.
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