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Richard Barrington, who was an 18-year-old high school junior at
the time of the 2023 crash, apologized for the fatal accident in
Hartford Superior Court as relatives of the officers looked on.
Officer Robert “Bobby” Garten, 34, an eight-year Hartford police
veteran whose father retired as a detective on the force, died
from his injuries. Garten’s partner, Officer Brian Kearney, who
was driving their cruiser, was seriously injured.
Authorities said Barrington fled a traffic stop conducted by
other officers, drove through two red lights and smashed into
the passenger side of Garten and Kearney's cruiser, which was
responding to an unrelated emergency call on Sept. 6, 2023.
“I want to apologize for all the days, months, and years of pain
and grief that I’ve caused and are currently causing,”
Barrington said in court. “No mother, father, sibling, kid, or
friend should have to endure the pain and grief you are
enduring.”
Barrington pleaded guilty in April to manslaughter, first-degree
assault and interfering with a police officer.
Garten's family said they wanted Barrington to serve more than
40 years in prison,
“This is it, this is what Mr. Barrington gets for killing my
brother?” William Garten told members of the media after the
sentencing. “That’s the end of this kind of story, and we’ll
have to continue to honor Bobby in some other way because today
we let him down.”
1. A memorial service for Garten drew police officers from
across the region.
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