A University of Connecticut senior and former track and field star was killed after crashing his SUV into a tree early Wednesday, according to authorities.
Zachary Barry, 22, was behind the wheel of a 2016 Volvo XC60 heading west on Huntington Lodge Road in Mansfield when he crossed into oncoming traffic and plowed into a utility pole and tree just after midnight, Connecticut State Police said.
First responders pulled the badly injured senior, of Scarborough, Maine, from the wreckage before he was airlifted by helicopter to Hartford Hospital, where he tragically died at 2:43 a.m., according to cops.
A crash detection alert from a mobile device alerted authorities to the wreck, according to the Daily Voice.
Barry, who was alone in the car, enrolled at UConn in 2022 and was majoring in plant science with a concentration in turfgrass, school officials told the Hartford Courant.
The standout student competed on the men’s track and field team from 2022 to 2024 and was a dedicated member of the Alpha Kappa Lambda fraternity.
“This past summer Zachary served as an intern at the Pine Valley Golf Club in New Jersey where he worked to develop his skills in the areas of course conditioning and turf health management,” the Dean of Students Office wrote in a campus-wide letter obtained by the Courant.
“Our deepest condolences go out to Zachary’s family and friends during this difficult time,” UConn officials wrote.
Barry was already a proven track star in high school, snagging the 800-meter state title as a junior before sweeping the 800-meter, 1600-meter, and mile titles his senior year, according to WMTW.
Grief-stricken students and staff can access support through Student Health & Wellness Mental Health Services at 860-486-4700 or drop in for assistance.
Anyone with information regarding the tragic crash is urged to contact Trooper Kyle Tiersch at 860-896-3200 or via email at kyle.tiersch@ct.gov.
