A private schoolgirl plowed into three cyclists and killed one while checking a phone alert on the infotainment screen of her Mercedes, a court heard.

Anngelina Morton, 18, was arrested last week over the August 2024 collision in Connecticut which killed Justin Gittings, 31, and injured his friends, WSFB reported.

Morton, an honors student and talented equestrian who lives in a $940,000 home in a ritzy area of Farmington, said the crash was an accident and has pleaded not guilty. 

However, Gittings’ devastated family said Morton showed ‘intent’ because police say she was looking at the infotainment center in her car when she struck him. 

She’d received an alert on her phone which had flashed up on the luxury SUV’s screen just before the smash, it is alleged. Further details on that alert have not been shared.

Footage from Morton’s court appearance on Wednesday showed her breaking down in tears beside her attorney as he spoke on her behalf. 

The senior, who attends the $53,000-per-year all-girls Ethel Walker School in Simsbury, was also joined in court by her mother, Tammi Morton. 

Tammi, 63, is a high-flying Chief Corporate Security Officer at UnitedHealth Group, according to her LinkedIn profile. 

Teenage private school girl Anngelina Morton (pictured in court) has been charged with manslaughter after crossing double-yellow lines in her Mercedes and hitting three bikers

Morton has been charged with second-degree manslaughter, assault, and reckless driving. She was freed on a $275,000 bond, legal records show. (Pictured: Morton’s mugshot)

Her mother, Tammi Morton (pictured), 63, is a high-flying Chief Corporate Security Officer at UnitedHealth Group, according to her LinkedIn profile

That is part of the UnitedHealthcare corporation, whose CEO Brian Thompson was murdered in New York last year, allegedly by Luigi Mangione.  

Morton’s daughter had a bright future ahead of her as an honors student who had just been accepted into Auburn University’s division I equestrian team. 

But this changed in August 2024, when police say Morton’s Mercedes was four feet into the wrong lane on Route 4 in Farmington for at least five seconds. 

Morton struck Gittings and his friends, Tyler Silvas and Emily Scarfo, who were on a second motorcycle, leaving Silvas with a permanent brain injury and epilepsy. 

Gittings, a truck driver who also rode horses, died in hospital weeks later. 

His heartbroken mother, Elizabeth Politis, said the tragedy was not an accident. 

‘An accident is when someone slips on black ice or has sun glare and doesn’t have control,’ Politis told CBS affiliate WFSB outside court on Wednesday. 

‘But to have control of the situation and choose to do what you do, that’s intent. 

‘The decision was intentional and it cost my son his life.’

Justin Gittings (pictured) was 31 when Morton fatally struck him down with her Mercedes

Gittings’ devastated family said Morton showed ‘intent’ because police say she was looking at the infotainment center in her car when she struck him. (Pictured: Gittings with his family)

‘There’s nothing that will bring my son back,’ Gittings’ father Gary added. ‘The max time she can serve isn’t enough, but it’s what the law says.’ 

Second-degree manslaughter is a class C felony in Connecticut punishable by a prison sentence of up to 10 years and a maximum fine of $10,000. 

However, maximum sentences are rarely given because the defendants who face them usually receive more lenient treatment under the terms of plea agreements, according to the Maddox Law Firm. 

Silvas lamented the heinous impact the crash has had on his life. ‘I have epilepsy now for the rest of my life,’ he told WFSB. ‘I suffer from seizures from the accident. I have a permanent brain injury.’

Morton has been charged with second-degree manslaughter, assault, and reckless driving. She was freed on a $275,000 bond, legal records show. 

The senior attends the $53,000-per-year all-girls Ethel Walker School in Simsbury, CT

Anngelina Morton had a bright future ahead of her as an honors student who had just been accepted into Auburn University’s division I equestrian team

Gittings, who was from Seymour and lived in Meriden, was remembered for his infectious sense of humor by his family and friends. 

‘He always had a smile on his face.

‘He was the guy you went to for a laugh. 

‘He was just a stand up human being,’ Silvas told WFSB. 

‘He did a lot of things in his life and he was always good at it,’ Gittings’ father added.