ADDISON COUNTY — Vermont State Police this past week were called to two very bad one-car crashes in which, in both cases, a person sustained fractures to both legs.
On Thursday, Jan. 15, at 11:17 p.m. police and rescue officials rushed to a one-vehicle crash on Route 7 in Ferrisburgh near the intersection of Robinson Road. Trooper Young reported that Brandon Bush, 23, of Burlington was driving a 2005 Jeep Cherokee southbound on Route 7 when, for an unknown reason, his vehicle crossed the center line and went off the east side of the roadway.
The Jeep then struck a mailbox prior to running into a tree head-on.
Bush, the sole occupant of the vehicle, was extracted from the Jeep by the Ferrisburgh Fire Department and rescue squad. He was wearing his seat belt at the time of the crash. The rescue squad took Bush to the University of Vermont Medical Center, for severe fractures to both of his legs. The vehicle was totaled. Police said drugs and alcohol did not seem to be determining factors in this crash.
On Tuesday, hospital officials said Bush’s condition was “fair,” which means that his vital signs are stable and within normal limits, that the patient is conscious but may be uncomfortable, and indicators are favorable.
Then on a bitterly cold Sunday morning, when the temperature was recorded at minus 7 degrees, troopers were called to a crash on Bristol Road in Monkton involving a 2007 Chevy HHR. State police report that Lynzee Vaughan, 22, of Bristol was driving a station wagon at the time of the crash, which was a few minutes past 5 a.m. on Jan. 18.
The crash, which caused “massive damage” to the front and side of the vehicle on the passenger side, according to Trooper Busby, injured both Vaughan and a passenger, 23-year-old Brynna-Lee Carper of Lincoln. Both were transported to UVM Medical Center. Carper’s injuries were described as fractures to both femurs, to a lower leg and to her hand and wrist area; she also sustained a large cut on her face. Both driver and passenger were wearing seat belts.
On Tuesday, Carper’s condition was described by hospital officials as “fair”; they did not have a record for Vaughan.
This crash is under investigation, and Busby said the early investigation showed that alcohol was a factor in the crash. Court action was expected.
According to the Crimereports.com website, VSP reported 29 incidents in Addison County between Jan. 12 and 19. Many of those reports involved directed patrols and welfare checks. Notable among those reports were a Jan. 14 case of vandalism on Route 17 West in Addison, use of a police canine for unspecified purposes on Jan. 17 on Route 7 in New Haven, a report of breaking and entering on Robbins Cross Road in Ripton on Jan. 18, and  a family disturbance on Route 22A in Addison on Jan. 18.
In other recent activity reported by state police, troopers:
• On Jan. 7 looked into a report of a possible theft that had occurred at Cyclewise Inc. on Route 7 in New Haven. After a short investigation, Trooper Flansburg alleged that Graham B. Thompson, 37, of Ripton had been stealing money from the company after hours, and the trooper cited Thompson for petit larceny.
•  On Jan. 14 went to a two-vehicle crash at the New Haven intersection where Belden Falls Road and River Road cross Route 7. Police determined that at approximately 3:24 p.m. that day a 33-year-old Middlebury woman driving a 2002 Honda Odyssey minivan was attempting to cross Route 7 from Belden Falls Road and travel east on River Road when she was struck by a 1992 Dodge Stealth driven by a 17-year-old New Haven male who was attempting to make a left turn onto Route 7 from River Road. Middlebury EMS staff examined those in the vehicles, and there were no reported injuries. Both vehicles sustained damage. Firefighters from the New Haven Fire Department responded. This crash remains under investigation.
•  On Jan. 14 at 8:59 p.m. stopped a car driven by Christopher Clark, 26, of Hinesburg on Route 116 in Starksboro for allegedly speeding. Police cited Clark for driving with a criminally suspended license.
•  Began investigating a theft that took place during the afternoon of Jan. 15. Police are investigating the theft of an unspecified number of wedding rings from an office at the Morgan Horse Farm at 74 Battell Drive in Weybridge. Troopers said the owner of the rings had taken them off and placed them on her office desk while applying hand lotion. While conducting business on the grounds, she realized that she had forgotten the rings and returned to her office to see that the jewelry was missing. The woman looked for the rings in her office, the stables and surrounding property, without success. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact state police at 388-4919.
•  On Jan. 17 at 11:30 p.m. looked into a call from Michael Lepore-Capek, 28, of New Haven that the vehicle he was driving had struck a pole on the Leicester-Whiting Road in Leicester. Trooper Hanley reported that his investigation showed that Lepore-Capek was under the influence of alcohol, and that a roadside breath test showed Lepore-Capek’s blood alcohol content was 0.092 percent; the legal limit for driving is 0.08. Police cited Lepore-Capek for DUI.
•  On Jan. 18 at 12:30 a.m. responded to a report that a Granville woman had started a fire in her Route 12A home and was yelling. State police cited Kathleen Zura, 56, of Granville for first degree arson, unlawful mischief and resisting arrest, second offense, and jailed her for lack of $50,000 bail.
•  On Jan. 18 at around 2 p.m. responded with the Pittsford Fire Department to a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Route 3 and Stevens Road in Pittsford. Police report that Melissa Kelly, 41, of Madison, Conn., was unable to stop the 2014 Toyota Sienna she was driving at a stop sign because of the icy road conditions and she ran the stop sign and collided with a 2005 PT Cruiser driven by 62-year-old Charles Richardson of Bristol. There were no reported injuries, and both vehicles were towed from the scene.