Melissa Ramirez, 27, of Stamford, was arrested Friday in a crash that killed a Bridgeport police officer and his girlfriend, Danbury police said. 

Melissa Ramirez, 27, is currently being held on a $500,000 court-set bond. She was charged with two counts of second-degree manslaughter, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and other offenses. 

Danbury police said Ramirez was behind the wheel of a Jeep Compass when the SUV struck a Harley-Davidson motorcycle near the Ridgefield line around 2:45 a.m. on July 13, killing the driver and the sole passenger. 

Officials said Ramirez, who was transported to Danbury Hospital with serious injuries after the crash, was apprehended by Danbury police with the help of Stamford and Bridgeport officers. She has also been charged with traveling unreasonably fast and failure to drive in the proper lane. 

During the funeral, Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter credited Whiteside and other officers with contributing to “historical low numbers of crime” last year. Whiteside was hired in 2024, completing a lifetime goal of becoming a police officer. 

“Officer Whiteside was with us for a short time, but his time was very impactful,” Porter said. 

Prior to serving as an officer, Whiteside worked as a firefighter in the Stony Hill Volunteer Fire Department and Brookfield Fire Department, and as a captain-in-training and vice president with the West Redding Volunteer Fire Department.

Whiteside's patrol vehicle, No. 311, has been parked in front of Bridgeport police headquarters as a memorial. Visitors have placed flowers and agency patches on the car, and left written messages on nearby whiteboards.

Islami was a mother of three children. Her sister-in-law has said she was “a very passionate and fun and caring person.” A GoFundMe is now raising money for the “immediate and future” needs of Islami's children.

This story includes previous Hearst Connecticut Media Group reporting. 

July 24, 2026|Updated July 24, 2026 6:21 p.m.