Autopsy report omits key terms as truck trial enters day three

The trial of Cooper Ouellette reached its third day on Monday in New Britain, with the focus shifting to discrepancies in the forensic record regarding Sophie Ringquist's death.

Ringquist, who was 17, died in May 2023 after heading home from an underage drinking party in Terryville. Police say Ouellette was driving when the truck door opened and he stomped on the gas pedal, causing her to fall. Investigators believe he dragged her back into the vehicle and drove off.

The case began Thursday with testimony from Ringquist's family and a video from her phone that captured a scream and a roaring engine. On Friday, Dr. Gregory Vincent, an associate medical examiner, took the stand to describe the injuries she sustained hours before dying.

On Monday, Vincent testified that the words "run over," "crushed," and "tire" do not appear in the final autopsy report. However, he stated that he expressed the opinion multiple times during the investigation that Ringquist had been run over. The defense highlighted that Vincent never documented that specific opinion in writing.

Defense attorneys argued that a state police crash analysis report found evidence did not support the claim that Ringquist was run over. Vincent said he discussed their findings with investigators but did not recall receiving a copy of that report. He noted that the initial report to his office stated she fell from a moving truck.

Vincent explained that state police later informed the medical examiner's office that Ringquist had asked the driver to pull over because she felt sick and opened the door while the vehicle was still moving. The office's report concluded she fell out of the truck.

The defense began cross-examining Vincent on the timing of the cause of death report and the manner of death as the trial resumed on Monday.