A man faces child endangerment charges in connection with a fatal go-kart crash in Meriden in the spring after investigators learned that he built the homemade go-kart with “several deficiencies,” including one involving the accelerator that authorities believe may have contributed to the crash that killed his 6-year-old stepson.
Steven Stolfi, 30, of Portland was arrested on Sept. 24 on two counts of risk of injury to a minor, according to the Meriden Police Department .
The warrant affidavit supporting his arrest said the charges stem from a crash at Kronenberger Park on April 9 just after 7:40 p.m. where Stolfi allowed his stepchildren, ages 6 and 4, to ride around in the parking lot in a go-kart he built himself. Stolfi, who police said was cooperative throughout the investigation, told authorities he took the children to the parking lot of the park around 2:30 p.m. but that they left because the lot was too busy with other motorists who were there to watch a soccer game, the warrant affidavit said.
Stolfi told police he took the children to Wayne Lane, a dead-end street, where they rode around on the go-kart while he supervised from his motorcycle, according to the warrant affidavit. They returned to the park later on when the lot appeared less busy, he told police.
According to the warrant affidavit, Stolfi said the crash occurred just as he told the 6-year-old that it was time to leave and that he could only make one more lap around the lot. The child’s 4-year-old brother was a passenger in the go-kart.
Stolfi said the child took off at a high rate of speed and that he immediately chased after him and yelled for him to slow down, the warrant affidavit said. The child then drove into a metal swinging gate that allows for emergency vehicles to access the sports field, according to the warrant affidavit. The boy was wearing a bike helmet when his head struck the metal gate.
A man who was coaching the soccer game that was going on said he witnessed the crash after hearing Stolfi yelling for the child to slow down, the warrant affidavit said. He said the go-kart continued moving after the collision, though it appeared that the boy who was driving was unconscious.
The coach said he ran over to help when the go-kart stopped and began giving the 6-year-old chest compressions. The boy had a weak pulse.
A nurse who was also at the park said she assisted by stabilizing the child’s neck as the soccer coach gave him chest compressions until medics arrived, the warrant affidavit said. The boy was taken to Midstate Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 8:35 p.m.
An autopsy conducted by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner found that the boy died of blunt impact injury to his head and neck. The death was ruled an accident.
The 4-year-old did not suffer any major injuries and was taken to the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center to be evaluated, according to the warrant affidavit.
Police seized the go-kart for their investigation and interviewed Stolfi about how he built it. He described himself as an outdoor recreation enthusiast with experience in go-karts, quads and dirt bikes, the warrant affidavit said. Stolfi said he built the go-kart for the child as a birthday gift a year earlier.
Stolfi said he obtained the parts for the frame from a steel manufacturer and that he welded them together, the warrant affidavit said. He said he bought the parts for the throttle and pedals from a power sports company and the engine from Harbor Freight Tools, police wrote. The seat for the go-kart was taken off a Fisher Price power wheels toy, according to the warrant affidavit.
When police inspected the go-kart they noted that it had several deficiencies, including that the throttle assembly wire was attached to the engine at an angle “which could cause clamping,” the warrant affidavit said.
“The front left tie rod which connects to the wheel appeared to have been broken and was reattached using a hose clamp,” police wrote.
Investigators also found that the accelerator pedal “would not allow a small child to rest his foot on the floorboard of the go-kart,” according to the warrant affidavit.
“The accelerator pedal can easily be depressed and stuck in acceleration as to the right of the pedal is an open gap,” police wrote. “Small objects such as a foot or stick could be easily lodged between and not allow deceleration of the go-kart.”
Police wrote in the warrant affidavit that it’s possible the boy’s foot became stuck on the accelerator when he turned his body to look back at Stolfi.
Based on the go-kart being seen still moving after the crash, police said the accelerator was either still engaged or the throttle was stuck, the warrant affidavit said. The latter scenario was ruled out during the inspection.
Police said their inspection found that the “likely cause” of the accelerator still being applied after the collision was “due to poor workmanship,” according to the warrant affidavit.
Police also noted in the warrant affidavit that there was no roll cage or any protective devices on the exterior of the go-kart.
“There were no seatbelts or harnesses,” police wrote. “There was a foam pool noodle installed as the only shock absorbent on (the) rear of (the) seat.”
According to the warrant affidavit, the frame of the go-kart was not aligned with the body, the latter of which was “meant to be used for a children’s toy” only capable of going a maximum of 5 mph. The inspection of the go-kart found that it was capable of going 28 mph, the warrant affidavit said.
The warrant for Stolfi’s arrest was signed by a judge on Sept. 18. He was arrested six days later and has been released on a promise to appear.
According to online court records, Stolfi was scheduled to be arraigned in Meriden Superior Court on Tuesday.
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