Connecticut State Rep. Quentin Williams Killed While Driving Home from Governor's Inaugural Ball

State Representative Quentin Williams Facebook Quentin "Q" Williams

Connecticut state Rep. Quentin "Q" Williams was killed early Thursday morning in a head-on, wrong-way crash on his way home from Gov. Ned Lamont's inaugural ball.

Williams, 39, was one of two people who lost their lives in the accident, which happened after 12:30 a.m. The Hartford Courant reported that one vehicle was traveling south on Route 9 near the exit 18 ramp when a wrong-way driver struck it head-on. The crash remains under investigation, state police said.

A lifelong Middletown resident, Williams had just been sworn in for his third term Wednesday, and was recently named House chairman of the Labor and Public Employees Committee.

Gov. Lamont directed state flags to be lowered to half-staff to honor Williams. In addition, the Legislative Office Building is closed, and committee meetings have been canceled.

"This is devastating news, and I am incredibly saddened by this tragedy," Lamont said in a statement. "Quentin had an infectiously optimistic personality, and he absolutely loved having the opportunity to represent his lifelong home of Middletown at the State Capitol. Public service was his passion, and he was always advocating on behalf of the people of his hometown."

Lamont continued: "He was a genuine person with a genuine soul, and he will be missed. My prayers are with his family, including his wife Carrissa and his mother Queen, as well as his friends and colleagues in the General Assembly."

State Representative Quentin Williams Facebook Quentin "Q" Williams

Williams, a Democrat, was the first African American to represent Middletown in the Connecticut General Assembly.

He is remembered for his optimism.

"I met Q before he became a state legislator when he was an advocate for a local school in Stamford, and I can only think of one word to describe him—hopeful," Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said in a statement. "Q was always brimming with optimism and possibility. He had a spirit that was relentlessly positive and aspirational. We need his light more than ever, and that's why it is so hard."

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Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin took to Twitter to share condolences and memories from his experience with Williams on Wednesday.

"Last night, Q Williams was so full of energy, joy, and passion for his new role and the work ahead," he posted. "Heartbroken by the news this morning."

Luke's wife, Sara Bronin, wrote, "Heartbroken to hear about the tragic passing of State Rep. Quentin 'Q' Williams. I saw him yesterday, after he was sworn in for his third term, & he was so excited about the upcoming session. His genuine desire to improve people's lives motivated his all-too-short 39 years."

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Williams first took office in 2019, and served as chairman of the legislature's Aging Committee, in addition to serving on the Commerce and Finance committees, CT Insider reported. He co-chaired the Labor and Public Employees Committee, and led the Housing Committee, the outlet said.

According to CT Insider, he wrote a bill to mandate fair rent commissions in communities with 25,000 residents, in response to complaints he received from older residents living at Stonegate Apartments in Middletown about rents rising 40 percent during the pandemic.

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While serving as a legislator, he served as director of advocacy and policy for Stamford-based charter school program Excellence Community Schools. He also worked as an adjunct professor in the University of Hartford's Interdisciplinary Studies program, where he taught "Leadership: Opportunities and Challenges."

Before he began his career in politics, Williams was the director of Middletown's Downtown Business District who launched Middletown Restaurant Week.

He graduated from Bryant University with a bachelor's degree in business administration and went on to earn a master's degree in public administration from Villanova University and a diversity and inclusion certificate from Cornell University. He attended Middletown Public Schools.