ADDISON COUNTY — Vermont State Police are investigating a rash of firearm thefts in the county. Two thefts last week bring the total to three since Sept. 20, each in a separate town.
Police responded to Shellhouse Mountain Road in Ferrisburgh Oct. 5 where a man said he had left his .45 caliber pistol, in its carrying case, on the back of his truck and then driven away, causing it to fall off. Police said they spoke with someone who saw the gun case on the side of the road. Police found the case, but the gun was not in it.
Separately, state police said two guns, a Springfield AR-15 rifle and Ruger Vaquero revolver were stolen from a Goshen home three days later. Trooper Kaitlyn Armstrong said she has not released more information about the theft because she is pursuing a lead in the investigation. She said troopers had not found a connection between this case and the missing gun in Ferrisburgh and a gun theft in Monkton, but did not rule it out.
On Sept. 20, state police said someone stole seven guns, as well as scopes and thousands of rounds of ammunition, from a Monkton home.
In other recent activity, troopers:
•  On Oct. 7 followed up on a case that began on Sept. 11 when, at approximately 3:45 p.m., state police responded to an assault complaint that had occurred the night of Sept. 10 off Route 22A in Panton. After further investigation, police determined that Wayne A. Rainey, 33, of Panton struck a juvenile in the face causing physical bodily injury. Last week police cited Rainey for simple assault.
•  On Oct. 8 at approximately 8:50 a.m. stopped a motor vehicle with an expired inspection sticker on Route 7 in Ferrisburgh. Police said the driving privileges of the driver, identified as 40-year-old Chad Palmer of Ferrisburgh, were restricted to operating vehicles equipped with an ignition interlock device only; the vehicle he was operating at the time of the stop was not equipped with such a device. Police cited Palmer for driving after license/privilege suspended or revoked.
•  On Oct. 9 were called to investigate the burglary of a residence on Murray Road in Whiting that had occurred between 9 a.m. at 6 p.m. that day. Items reported stolen include antique jewelry and loose change. Anyone with information on this crime is asked to contact state police at 388-4919. Information can also be submitted online at www.vtips.info or by texting “CRIMES” (274637) to Keyword: VTIPS.
•  On Oct. 9 at around 8 p.m., with officers from the Addison County Sheriff’s Department, responded to 28 Parks Drive in Orwell for a “suspicious complaint.” After a brief investigation, police said they determined that Jeffrey A. Bradish, 51, and another Orwell resident, 41-year-old Clifford Casavant, had had a disagreement over a horse. During the course of that disagreement, police said, Bradish became upset and allegedly fired a .45 caliber handgun in the “general direction” of Casavant and his daughter, according to police. Both victims were unharmed. Police cited Bradish for aggravated assault and reckless endangerment charges and was held on $15,000 bail at the Chittenden County Correctional Center.
•  On Oct. 11 at 3 a.m. investigated an aggravated domestic assault complaint in Leicester and ended up citing Jonathan French, 42, of Leicester for aggravated domestic assault. Police lodged French for lack of $20,000 bail.
•  On Oct. 11 at 3:10 a.m. stopped a motor vehicle on Route 7 in New Haven for a traffic infraction. The trooper said his investigation showed that Dean T. Heffernan, 30, of New Haven was driving the car while intoxicated. A roadside test showed that Heffernan’s blood alcohol content was 0.135 percent; the legal limit for driving is 0.08 percent. Heffernan was cited for driving under the influence, third offense, and lodged at the Chittenden County Correctional Center for lack of $20,000 bail. 
•  On Oct. 11 received a complaint that on Singing Cedars Road in Orwell someone had driven a vehicle into a fence and damaged it, then driven away without reporting the crash. The resident believed that the incident had occurred the previous night at around 9:30 p.m. but the damage was not noticed until daylight. Anyone with information on this crime is asked to contact state police at 802-388-4919. Information can also be submitted anonymously online at www.vtips.info or by texting “CRIMES” (274637) to Keyword: VTIPS.
•  On Oct. 11 at 11:04 p.m. stopped a motor vehicle driven by Michael W. Lackard, 32, of Middlebury on West Street in Bristol for a traffic infraction. Police suspected that Lackard was intoxicated and they said a preliminary sample of his breath showed a blood alcohol content of 0.125 percent. They cited him for DUI, second offense; driving with a criminally suspended license; and giving false information to a police officer.
•  On Oct. 12 at approximately nine minutes past midnight stopped a vehicle driven by 29-year-old Leon J. Sabourin of Warren on Upper Notch Road in Bristol. Police cited Sabourin for DUI and transported him to Act One Detox in Burlington.
•  On Oct. 12 at 2:30 a.m. stopped a vehicle on Route 17, west of the Routes 17/116 four corners west of Bristol village, for a traffic infraction. Police cited the driver, identified as 22-year-old Chelsea A. Burrows of Vergennes for driving under the influence of intoxicants. Police report that a roadside tested showed Barrows’ blood alcohol content at 0.143 percent. She was cited and released.
•  On Oct. 12 at 11:09 p.m. stopped a motor vehicle driven by Alara Bourgeois, 21, of Bristol on Route 7 in Salisbury for a defective equipment violation. Police cited Bourgeois for driving with a criminally suspended license.