VERGENNES — After a Sept. 10 traffic stop on West Main Street, Vergennes police collared a fugitive from justice wanted in Puerto Rico.
Vergennes police said that on that Wednesday they stopped a car for speeding and eventually arrested Dennis Junior Medina-Santiago, 45. Police Chief George Merkel said before he was taken into custody Medina-Santiago tried to disguise his identity by not providing the arresting officer the second part of his hyphenated last name and by giving police an incorrect Social Security number.
Medina-Santiago was lodged at the Chittenden County Correctional Center, and held for lack of $150,000 bail. Merkel said extradition proceedings had begun earlier this week and that Medina-Santiago faced charges of credit card fraud.
In other action between Sept. 8 and 14, Vergennes police:
•  On Sept. 8 were told a number of items had been stolen from a Panton Road storage unit, including linens, a camera and lenses, and firearms equipment.
•  On Sept. 8 issued a civil ticket for marijuana possession to the driver of a vehicle they had stopped on Main Street.
•  On Sept. 9 ticketed a tractor-trailer truck driver for driving an oversize vehicle and for failing to carry an interstate permit.
•  On Sept. 10 helped a Main Street resident get into her locked home and car.
•  On Sept. 10 tried to find a dog that had fled from the Vergennes Animal Hospital after surgery.
•  At a Sept. 10 traffic stop arrested a passenger, Joellen Holland, 29, of Vergennes, on an outstanding warrant and lodged her at the Chittenden County Correctional Center.
•  On Sept. 11 responded to a Union Street noise complaint, but found no problem.
•  On Sept. 11 looked into damage to a sign in the National Bank of Middlebury’s Green Street parking lot; police believe a car struck it.
•  On Sept. 11 ticketed a tractor-trailer truck driver on Monkton Road for exceeding the weight limit and driving on a side road without a permit.
•  On Sept. 11 responded to a Ferrisburgh business on behalf of Vermont State Police because of concerns about a suspicious man.
•  On Sept. 12 were told household items had been stolen from a Main Street apartment.
•  On Sept. 12 helped VSP by responding to a three-car crash on Route 7 in Ferrisburgh.
•  On Sept. 12 helped motorists get into their locked cars on Main and First streets.
•  On Sept. 14 while on a special detail on Route 7 in New Haven, cited Devin Houle, 23, of Bomoseen for driving under the influence of alcohol.
•  On Sept. 14 helped the Vergennes Area Rescue Squad at a High Street call.