New Haven Independent

Deputy Police Chief Tom Fowler told the Eagle that the Medical Examiner’s office informed the police today that Dr. R. Scott Borrus, 52, suffered a heart attack prior to the actual accident, which killed him.

“The injuries sustained in the accident did not appear to be fatal,” Fowler said.

Dr. Borrus was an assistant clinical professor of Internal Medicine and geriatrics at the Yale Medical School and a physician at Yale New Haven Hospital.

Fowler said the police learned today that Dr. Borrus had a heart condition. “He died prior to the accident. As of last night we were trying to understand why he unexpectedly swerved in front of a truck going the other way,” he said. He was ejected from his bicycle, a LeMond racing bike, when he was stricken. When officers arrived, two passersby were performing CPR on Dr. Borrus.

Police received word at 7:32 p.m. of the accident involving a truck and a bicycle on South Montewese Street in the area of Field Place, not far from Dr. Borrus’s home. Dr. Borrus and his wife and two children live nearby. It was light out when the accident occurred.

The motorist, John Blomberg, also 52, was driving a 2003 Chevrolet pick-up. He was arrested for his conduct after the accident but not in connection with the accident. Fowler said that right after Dr. Borrus struck his truck, Blomberg became agitated and began to cause a scene. “He was concerned about who was going to pay for the damage to his truck and was cursing loudly as Dr. Borrus lay nearby,” Fowler said.

Fowler said Blomberg was arrested for breach of peace and interfering with an officer. He was refusing to cooperate or give any information on what had happened and he was causing a scene.

“The officers had to physically try to calm him down and we had no other choice but to place him under arrest. He was held on bond, spent the night in custody and made bond this morning prior to arraignment,” Fowler said. Blomberg lives in North Branford.

Police Officer Jay Kaufman, whose expertise is accident reconstruction, will head the department’s inquiry.

Dr. Borrus was active in seeking to preserve bikeable open space. Following is an article he wrote for a New England Mountain Bike Association publication about Branford’s Supply Ponds/ Pisgah Brooks Trail.

Help Preserve Connecticut’s Saltonstall Mountain

CT NEMBA is urging mountain bikers around New England to help protect Branford’s Supply Ponds/Pisgah Brook Trails by making a donation to the Branford Land Trust.

Branford’s Supply Ponds/Pisgah Brook trails are well known to many Connecticut mountain bikers. Trails on over 600 acres of Town-owned preserves draw riders from throughout the Greater New Haven area and beyond because of the widely varied terrain. It’s a great place for all levels of riders. However, many of the trails in the area cross privately owned land, making them vulnerable to development.

The Branford Land Trust has pledged to raise $100,000 toward the purchase in exchange for a conservation easement on the 93 acres that lie in Branford. The easement insures that future Town governments won’t be able to put the land to other uses, guaranteeing that the land will remain undeveloped and available for recreational use forever. This effort is being supported by a grant from the Foote Family Trust that will match contributions to the Branford Land Trust.

Please help keep these trails available for our use. Contributions can be sent to: Branford Land Trust, PO Box 254, Branford, CT 06405. Please make checks payable to Branford Land Trust and note “Saltonstall Mt.” on your check. Remember that every dollar you donate will be matched by the Foote Family Trust and is tax deductible. Thank you for your help. — R Scott Borrus

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