Tuck driver who ran over pedestrian while driving without prescription glasses taken into custody

A dump truck driver who ran over a pedestrian while driving without his glasses last year has been taken into custody for the fatal incident. 

The accident happened in Bloomfield, Connecticut in November 2025. 68-year-old dump truck driver, Hupti Smith, was arrested late last month on July 23rd on charges of second degree manslaughter. 

According to the Stamford Advocate, Smith was driving his dump truck south on Woodland Avenue in Bloomfield around dawn that morning when he stopped at a stop sign. 65-year-old Michael Parent then entered the cross walk in front of the dump truck, and was soon run over by Smith. 

A witness to the accident stated that  “it appeared to him that Parent thought the dump truck driver (Smith) saw him crossing the street.” Parent was wearing a reflective jacket at the time of the crash. The area was found to have sufficient lighting. The witness then pulled over and attempted to flag down Smith, but Smith kept driving. The witness then approached Parent, who was already “obviously deceased.”

When police located Smith, he told them that “he did not hit anyone.” He was then instructed to drive his dump truck a half a mile to the police station, where he was interviewed and told police that “he did not feel that he struck anything with his truck.”

“Smith also stated that if a person is directly in front of his truck, he would not be able to see them,” the warrant states. 

Police determined that Smith was operating a CDL with a “B” restriction, meaning he must use corrective lenses to operate the truck. Smith was not wearing glasses or contacts at the time of the accident, and told police he only needs glasses to read. Smith stated that he was told he did not need glasses during his most recent physical back in March 2025. Police contacted the physician who had signed Smith’s medical examination certificate in March 2025 and were told by that physician that Smith does require corrective lenses to drive. 

Smith suffers from exotropia of his left eye, causing it to permanently face outward. His arraignment is scheduled for August 18th in Superior Court in Hartford.