The widow of a man who was fatally struck by a vehicle while leaving his job at Electric Boat in Groton in April is suing the driver who struck him, according to her attorney.

Ralph Lopardo, 60, of Waterford finished his shift and left Electric Boat's south gate about 10 p.m. on April 21. He was walking through a crosswalk on Eastern Point Road to get to his vehicle when he was struck by a 2012 Ford Focus driven by 37-year-old Groton resident Carrie Malarkey, according to the City of Groton Police Department.

Lopardo "careened off the hood of the vehicle and went airborne before landing on the roadway" and died from his injuries, according to a civil lawsuit filed by his wife, Barbara Lopardo, executer of his estate.

Lopardo had worked as a senior engineer for Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory out of the Electric Boat shipyard for 37 years, according to his family. He was married to his wife for 12 years and had a son, daughter, stepson and two grandchildren.

The civil lawsuit, filed in New London Superior Court on Dec. 30, 2020, alleges that Malarkey was negligent and reckless by failing to give Lopardo the right of way in the crosswalk, as well as failing to drive attentively, brake, properly control her vehicle, keep a proper lookout and sound her horn.

Barbara Lopardo is suing for more than $15,000 in damages for medical expenses, funeral expenses and the loss of her spouse, the lawsuit says. Her attorney, Daniel Horgan, said his client also filed a workers' compensation claim on behalf of her husband's estate, because he was working at the time of the incident.

Malarkey's defense attorney, Russel Palmer, declined to comment on the lawsuit.

City of Groton Police Department Chief Michael Spellman said charges have not yet been filed against Malarkey.

t.hartz@theday.com