Conn. Lawmaker Tied To Freezing Death

(AP)  A Connecticut state lawmaker was suspended from his leadership post Friday amid reports he could face a criminal charge in the death of a barefoot woman who died of hypothermia after fleeing from his car this past winter.

Democratic Rep. James A. O'Rourke III, 45, one of six deputy speakers, will keep his House seat but is suspended indefinitely from his leadership role because the legal case could interfere with his duties, said House Speaker Christopher Donovan.

O'Rourke gave a written statement to police in January about the case in which he said the woman appeared to be too intoxicated to drive. At the time, police said it was not a criminal investigation. But on Friday, The Hartford Courant quoted unidentified sources as saying that prosecutors were considering a criminal misdemeanor charge.

Prosecutors declined comment to The Associated Press.

O'Rourke's attorney, Jake Donovan, said he did not believe an arrest warrant had yet been issued, was unsure whether one would be issued, and that a decision would probably not come for another week.

"I'm secure in the knowledge that no crime has been committed," he said.

Carol Jean Sinisgalli, 41, of Rocky Hill, was found dead Jan. 22 by a cross-country skier, 10 to 12 feet from railroad tracks. Police said she had walked barefoot about half a mile before collapsing in the snow and freezing to death.

O'Rourke told police he was leaving a tavern in Cromwell late on Jan. 21 when Sinisgalli, who had argued with another patron, ran out to his car, pulled open a back door and jumped in. He said he knew the woman through a mutual friend and gave her a ride because he thought she would be a dangerous driver, though he did not know exactly where she lived.

Sinisgalli left behind her coat, shoes and purse. Her car was sitting in the bar parking lot.

During the ride, O'Rourke said Sinisgalli became belligerent, knocking down his rear view mirror, garage door opener and glasses before jumping out of the car.

He said he thought she was close to home and didn't know she was barefoot. Temperatures were in the single digits that night.

Her body was found about five hours later.

O'Rourke represents the central Connecticut communities of Cromwell, Portland and Middletown. Appointed by Christopher Donovan earlier this year to the leadership post, he has not yet presided over the House during the legislative session.

O'Rourke will lose his $6,446 deputy speaker stipend during the suspension, the House speaker's office said.

State Republican Party Chairman Christopher Healy called on O'Rourke to explain his actions publicly or resign from the General Assembly, where he has served since 1991.

[growlll]

what a waste of time and money witch hunt.

[valh1]

James A. O'Rourke III, DEMOCRAT.

[drthvader]

Never get into a car with a politician no matter what party. It's usually isn't safe.

[loyalto1]

I was married to a woman Alcoholic for many years and I can tell you that this is how they act when drunk. she would hit me while I was driving and scream at me for nothing ect.

[Renegade.Rivers]

In this case his politically party has no signifigance to me. As an independent voter I just call them as I see them. In this case, with what I now know, I would have to say that I see no fault ob his part. Having run around a bit in my younger day, I have seen and heard of cases that were just as bizarre. Drunks can be very trying, and even dangerous. If she jumped in my back seat, I wouldn't feel very good about it, because first it sets you up for some incident, just like the outcome of this situation. Second, who knows or knew what her real intent was, and if she was in the situation she was in, how did she get there? If she jumped in the back seat, how could he be sure what she did or did not have on? I wouldn't think of looking at someones feet, nor would most ohter people.

This could be a scarey situation, that one just might want of go home and try to forget. So in this case it sounds like it could be a witchhunt in Connecticut . Which is nothing new to that state.

[dixxson]

His story is very plausible!
Very Likely!
A lot more plausible than a lone immigrant, "Mobbing" a Mob!
We must stop allowing "politics" to override, overrule "Law!
His story looks truthful, it would be another tragedy, to allow his political adversaries to use this to destroy him for personal Gains!
Our so called justice system has been completely corrupted, perverted by 30 yrs of Republicanism!
A High School Teacher is discovered in nude photo magazine spreads!
And so we argue, scratch our heads, fight, and debate" WOE IS ME" WHAT SHALL WE DO?
But a Sitting Gov. Elliot Spitzer has extramarital consensual "SEX",
And He's Sent Packing, the next "DAY"!
There is something wrong with this picture!

[geena5]

I guess hanging out at bars isn't such a great idea, duh

[aka_KJB]

Having had to deal with more than my share of drunks over the years (not being a drinker, I've become the designated driver whether I've liked it or not several times), the story isn't completely implausible. She jumped into the back of the car drunk and probably over dramatic about whatever argument she'd had, flailed around and knocked the hell out of everything in the car and bailed. He didn't 'drop her off in the middle of nowhere', she got out so there's reasonable assumption that she half way knew where she was. Still, the responsible thing to do would have been to grab the cell phone and call someone to let them know she was on foot, regardless of whether he knew she was barefoot or not. She still didn't have a coat and it was cold enough for someone to get hypothermia, shoes or no shoes. Bad judgment but I don't really see anything criminal and I doubt it would even have gotten this far if he weren't some kind of public figure.

[niteline56]

This man is certainly culpable in that lady's death. When he gave her a ride, he became responsible for her. How much did he have to drink if he didn't know he was dropping her off in the middle of nowhere? People certainly don't care about the welfare of other humans. I'm sure it angered him that she had the audacity to jump into his car and demand a ride and no doubt he wanted to get rid of her because obviously she was rude and abusive. But she didn't deserve to die just because she was stupid and he was an idiot who didn't care what happened to her one way or another. Otherwise, he would have tried to find her and give her back her coat and shoes. I don't think that keeping a drunk driver off the road was really what was on his agenda.

[carolhill814]

To me he is really lying but there was no eye witnesses to what happened but there is something completely wrong with this story.

He is not a Kennedy that got away with murder so he had better change his story or just flat out tell the truth.