A Harwinton teen charged with manslaughter is accused of running over his girlfriend with his truck in Burlington in May 2023 after the two argued throughout a night filled with drinking and alleged domestic violence, according to the arrest warrant affidavit.
Cooper Ouellette, 19, turned himself in Friday at the Troop L barracks in Litchfield in connection with the death of 17-year-old Sophie Ringquist , who was a junior at Lewis Mills High School, according to Connecticut State Police .
Ouellette is charged with first-degree manslaughter involving grave risk or death and illegally selling or delivering alcohol to a minor.
Death of teen who fell out of moving truck in Burlington under investigation
According to the arrest warrant affidavit, state police believe Ouellette and Ringquist — who were described as having an on-again, off-again relationship — argued at a party in Terryville where he allegedly kicked her and shoved her against his 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD on May 20, 2023.
Following an evening of alleged underage drinking and arguing, the couple left the party and were reportedly on Locust Road in Harwinton, where a video Ringquist took with her phone reportedly showed that, as she was getting out of his stopped vehicle, Ouellette allegedly “stomped on the gas pedal,” knocking her to the ground and leaving her sobbing and gasping for air, the warrant affidavit said.
After getting back in the truck, Ringquist reportedly sent multiple photos to someone showing that she had a bloody nose, a red mark on her face and was crying, according to the warrant affidavit. Investigators believe Ringquist was later run over on Fieldview Drive in Burlington after somehow becoming separated from the truck, the warrant affidavit said.
Ouellette told authorities Ringquist needed to vomit and that she jumped out of the moving vehicle before he could pull over, though investigators allege that they found evidence suggesting he “accelerated through the point of impact,” according to the warrant affidavit. He did not call 911 and instead allegedly dragged Ringquist to his vehicle and loaded her inside before driving to her neighborhood, where he circled around before dropping her off at her parents, the warrant affidavit said.
Ringquist was rushed by her parents to Bristol Hospital. On the ride over, she could barely speak and was unable to say exactly what had transpired, according to the warrant affidavit.
Ringquist was later pronounced dead at the hospital. An autopsy found that she died of blunt impact injuries to her torso. The manner of death was ruled a homicide from a motor vehicle collision.
During the investigation, state police used cell phone data, including GPS coordinates, to piece together the hours leading up to Ringquist’s death.
According to the warrant affidavit, Ouellette picked up Ringquist from her home between 6 and 6:20 p.m. before they stopped at a package store around 7:25 p.m. in Bristol, where they allegedly bought a six-pack of spiked iced tea and lemonade, a four-pack of craft beer and 20 spiked root beer nips. Around 8:30 p.m., the couple arrived at a party in Terryville where state police allege that Ouellette distributed alcohol to other minors, the warrant affidavit said.
During the party, witnesses reported that Ouellette and Ringquist argued because he wanted to leave to attend another party, but she did not want to go, the warrant affidavit said. During the evening, witnesses told investigators, Ouellette allegedly kicked Ringquist multiple times when she tried to hug him as he was sitting in a vehicle with the door open, knocking her to the ground, according to the warrant affidavit. He also allegedly pushed her into his truck at one point during the argument, the warrant affidavit said.
Ringquist allegedly tried to find a ride home with someone else, but Ouellette at one point told her they were leaving before the pair drove away around 11:18 p.m., according to the warrant affidavit.
Analyzing cell phone data, state police said they found that Ouellette drove erratically on the way to Ringquist’s home, finding that he suddenly hit the brakes “hard” five times during the trip, rapidly accelerated four times and on two occasions his cell phone was allegedly used while the vehicle was moving, according to the warrant affidavit. State police also said he hit speeds of over 70 mph.
State police found that Ringquist began recording a video while the truck was moving before it stopped on Locust Road and she appeared to open the passenger side door and start to get out of the vehicle, at which point investigators allege that Ouellette “stomped” on the gas, the warrant affidavit said. Ringquist could be heard saying “ow” during a commotion that led to her apparently being struck by the truck and knocked to the ground, according to the warrant affidavit.
Ringquist could be heard gasping for breath and sobbing before the video ended, state police wrote in the warrant affidavit.
According to the warrant affidavit, cell phone data showed that Ringquist was then moving around on foot for sometime and, at one point, allegedly walked into the woods. During this time, she sent a text message to someone saying “I’m scared,” the warrant affidavit said.
State police believe Ringquist later got back into Ouellette’s truck as he drove to a restaurant on Route 4 before continuing toward Ringquist’s home, as her parents enforced an 11:30 p.m. curfew, the warrant affidavit said.
Once in her neighborhood, state police said cell phone data, witness statements and home surveillance systems allegedly showed that Ouellette continued driving erratically, the warrant affidavit said. Multiple neighbors reported hearing a loud diesel engine and tires squealing.
After passing Ringquist’s home, Ouellette allegedly circled the neighborhood, state police wrote. During this time, Ringquist reportedly sent a photo to someone showing that her nose was bloody and her face had a red mark on it. She appeared to be crying in the photo, the warrant affidavit said.
State police noted that Ringquist had a “history” of sharing photos with close friends that showed Ouellette’s alleged abuse against her.
During the ride in Ringquist’s neighborhood, a surveillance camera from someone’s home captured the truck briefly and had audio that appeared to be Ringquist speaking. State police said they suspect the window to the vehicle was rolled down.
A forensic analysis of Ringquist’s voice suggested she was not vomiting or experiencing any of the “characteristics” “suggestive that her body was preparing to vomit,” state police wrote, adding that the evidence contradicted Ouellette’s assertion that she fell out of the truck upon indicating she was about to throw up, the warrant affidavit said.
According to the warrant affidavit, state police found that Ouellette drove past Ringquist’s home a second time despite it being about 12 minutes past her curfew. Soon thereafter, an analysis showed, he allegedly accelerated the truck “through the known point of impact” where Ringquist became separated from the vehicle on Fieldview Drive and slowed down “beyond this impact point,” the warrant affidavit said.
State police were not able to piece together exactly what led to Ringquist becoming separated from the vehicle.
After analyzing the crash scene, investigators found that Ouellette allegedly dragged Ringquist by her hand toward his truck and loaded her inside before driving to her parents’ home, the warrant affidavit said. The drag marks were as long as 12 feet, state police wrote.
Once at the parents’ home around 11:50 p.m., video surveillance captured Ouellette getting out of the truck and walking to the passenger side in what state police said did not appear to be in a “hurried manner,” the warrant affidavit said. At that time, the video showed, it was not obvious that there was a second person in the vehicle.
Ouellette then opened the passenger side door and lifted Ringquist from the vehicle. Her body appeared “lifeless and limp,” the warrant affidavit said.
Ouellette then repositioned Ringquist in the passenger seat before running to the home and allegedly crying out for help, telling one of her parents “I don’t know what’s wrong with (Ringquist), something’s wrong with (her),” the warrant affidavit said. He also said she had consumed a lot of alcohol.
According to the warrant affidavit, Ouellette was very inconsistent when describing to Ringquist’s family what happened, at one point alleging that she was driving and later changing his story about what side of the road he pulled over to after the impact. He also allegedly said, without being asked, that he only had one beer about five to six hours earlier, the warrant affidavit said.
He did not provide a detailed explanation as to what occurred, family told police.
Ringquist was rushed by her parents to Bristol Hospital while Ouellette initially stayed behind and eventually drove himself home, the warrant affidavit said. During the car ride, Ringquist was only able to say what sounded like “Coop” in a raspy voice, one of her parents told state police. She did not say anything else during the ride to the hospital.
She moaned in pain and at one point leaned into one of her parents as if she were going to “sleep or pass out,” the warrant affidavit said. She also leaned toward the window as if she wanted it rolled down to get air, a parent told investigators.
Once at the hospital, doctors and nurses immediately began treating Ringquist. Her mother said she paced around a room separated from the general waiting room before a doctor approached her and said “I’m sorry.”
Ringquist was pronounced dead at 12:51 a.m.
Hospital staff notified the Bristol Police Department before it was determined that state police detectives with the Western District Major Crime Squad would investigate, as the incident had occurred in Burlington.
Troopers went to Ouellette’s home just before 6:30 a.m. to speak to him about what had happened. During the interview, troopers noted that he had what appeared to be blood on his pants and he was very unstable on his feet, the warrant affidavit said. They also said he appeared very nervous as he spoke and that his speech was slow and slurred, according to the warrant affidavit.
Ouellette did not ask how Ringquist was doing or if she was OK, the warrant affidavit said. During his explanation of what happened, he said he was driving “30 tops” but was “probably doing 10 mph” when Ringquist allegedly told him she had to throw up, according to the warrant affidavit.
“So I mean, yeah, she jumped out at 10 miles an hour, doesn’t seem like it’s that fast, but if somebody jumps out at 10 miles an hour you’re still moving you know so…” he allegedly told police, the warrant affidavit said.
Ouellette told allegedly police he was trying to pull over, but before he could she suddenly opened the door and jumped out, according to the warrant affidavit. He also said he “stoved” the brakes and was able to stop within about three feet of where she allegedly jumped, state police wrote.
Ouellette also alleged that Ringquist told him she was fine after the crash before getting back in the truck and becoming “completely out of it all of a sudden,” according to the warrant affidavit.
When told Ringquist had died, state police alleged that Ouellette initially did not show any emotion and asked multiple times if authorities were “serious,” the warrant affidavit said. He later began crying before someone contacted a lawyer on his behalf.
Ouellette initially refused to turn over his cell phone before investigators obtained a warrant to seize it, the warrant affidavit said. His truck and clothing were also seized.
State police noted in the affidavit that, as of when the document was written, Ouellette had “never contacted” Ringquist’s family to express his condolences, state police wrote. The warrant was signed by a judge last Thursday.
Following his arrest, Ouellette posted a $50,000 bond and was expected to be arraigned on Monday in New Britain Superior Court.
According to an obituary , Ringquist died “as a result of a senseless accident.” She left behind her parents, two older brothers and other family.
Ringquist often wrote in her journal that she wanted to be “remembered as fierce.”
“I want to have a beautiful and healthy family,” the obituary states. “I want to be a good person with pure intentions. I want to be a good wife and mother. I want to be happy.”
Ringquist was described as “loving, hardworking, joyous, goofy, passionate, fierce” and a “compassionate young woman with a talent for putting into her writing what we all find so difficult to say aloud.”
“She spent her free time at the gym, hanging out with friends, and during the summer teaching local kids how to swim,” the obituary states.
According to the obituary, Ringquist was on track to graduate high school a semester early, which allowed her to take college classes while still in high school. She planned on pursuing a degree in construction management.
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