ADDISON COUNTY — Vermont State Police jailed a New Haven man without bail late last week until he could be arraigned on a charge of domestic assault.
State police at the New Haven barracks report that on Friday, Jan. 30, at approximately 2:32 a.m. they were called to a residence on Hunt Road in New Haven for a domestic disturbance. They said their investigation showed that Michael Lepore-Capek, 28, of New Haven had assaulted a female at the residence.
Lepore-Capek was cited for domestic assault and lodged at the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility.
Meanwhile, in two separate incidents, state police cited two other 28-year-olds from Addison County for driving under the influence of alcohol in which their blood alcohol levels tested at more than four times the legal limit for driving — 0.08 percent.
In the first incident, police on Jan. 29 at 9:15 p.m. responded to a one-car crash on Route 100 near the intersection of Route 100B in Moretown. Police said that Calista N. Tarnuaskas of Lincoln was driving a 2000 Subaru Legacy that went off the road.
The trooper reported that a preliminary test showed that Tarnuaskas’ blood alcohol content was 0.25 percent. She was not lodged, but she is due to answer the charge of DUI at Washington Superior Court, criminal division, in Barre on Feb. 19.
The second incident occurred on Jan. 31; state police were dispatched at 1:51 a.m. to a 911 call about a vehicle traveling southbound on Interstate 89 in the northbound lane near exit 14 in South Burlington (mile marker 88) with no headlights on.
Officers located the vehicle that was now stopped in the northbound lane, still heading in a southbound direction, and partially taking up both lanes of travel. The driver and only occupant in the vehicle was found slouched over and passed out inside the vehicle. They woke him, and he was identified as Wallace Greenewalt of Shoreham.
A preliminary breath sample taken at the scene at around 2:28 a.m. showed Greenwalt’s blood alcohol content was 0.255 percent. Police arrested him and transported him to the Williston state police barracks for processing. They then took him to the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility to detox. Greenewalt is due to answer the charges of DUI, second offense, and negligent driving at Chittenden Superior Court, criminal division, on Feb. 19.
On a different front, state police are asking for the public’s help in finding two men who apparently attempted to steal goods from an orchard in Orwell on the afternoon of Jan. 28.
At 1 p.m. on that Wednesday troopers responded to a report of a burglary in progress at the Ochs apple orchard on Sanford Road in Orwell. Workers said they encountered two males that had started to pile up goods both outside and inside of the apple warehouse. The two males took off on foot once the workers confronted them and ordered them to stop.
State police responded and a K-9 track was started in an attempt to locate the two males.
The troopers determined that the two males were picked up by a vehicle that was seen circling the area.
Anyone who has information regarding this incident is asked to contact state police at 802-388-4919. Information can also be submitted online at www.vtips.info or by texting “CRIMES” (274637) to Keyword: VTIPS.
In other recent activity, troopers:
•  On Jan. 25 at 7:50 p.m. stopped a vehicle driven by 35-year-old Eric Lylis of Hinesburg for speeding on Route 7 in Salisbury. The trooper reported that Lylis showed signs of impairment from marijuana and he was processed at the New Haven barracks and cited for driving under the influence of drugs and for a criminal count of possession of marijuana.
•  Police report that 51-year-old Richard M. Gecha of Florence was driving a Gecha fuel truck southbound on Route 7 in Rutland when he noticed traffic slowed down just south of Pinnacle Ridge Road. The weather was cold and snowing, and the road condition was snow-covered with areas of ice. Police said Harrie S. Demers Jr., 49, of Brandon was driving a 2004 Nissan pickup behind the Gecha truck and when the fuel truck slowed down for the traffic, the Nissan struck it from behind. The pickup sustained damage to its front bumper, grille, hood, and passenger and driver’s side front quarter panels; the Kenworth fuel truck was not damaged. No one was injured.
•  On Jan. 27 at 5:48 p.m. responded to a report that a vehicle had run into a tree off Fisher Road in Orwell. Police said a 16-year-old driver in a 2007 Dodge Durango had failed to negotiate a corner on that snowy evening and went off the road and collided with a tree. No injuries were reported.
•  On Jan. 28 at around 11:20 p.m. cited James J. Gregory, 29, of Port Henry, N.Y., for driving with a criminally suspended license on Route 125 in Bridport.
•  On Jan. 30 at approximately 5:18 a.m. received a report that a tractor-trailer had struck a utility pole near the intersection of Routes 22A and 74 in Shoreham. Police said the driver, 49-year-old Mark McKenzie of Margate, Fla., told them that he was driving northbound on Route 22A at approximately 35-40 mph; due to the wet snow and slushy road conditions, he and other tractor-trailers were driving in the middle of the highway. At one point he encountered a southbound tractor-trailer that was in the middle of the highway and did not return to his designated travel lane, so McKenzie moved to his right and struck the pole. No one was injured and Green Mountain Power replaced the utility pole. State police do not believe that alcohol or drugs played a factor in the collision.
•  On Jan. 31 at 12:20 p.m. were made aware of a missing person complaint in Sudbury. Preliminary investigation showed that Denise Hart, 25, of Hartford, Conn., was last seen leaving a friend’s home in Sudbury in the evening hours of Jan. 25. Hart is known to have a connection to the areas in and around Hartford, Conn.; and Rutland and Addison counties in Vermont. Hart is also known to use the names Tiffany and Chookie.
Anyone with any information related to the whereabouts of Denise Hart is urged to contact the Vermont State Police at 802-388-4919.
•  On Feb. 1 at 6:55 p.m. went to the scene of a crash on Cram Road in Leicester, where police said 21-year-old Timothy Devino of Brandon lost control of the red Dodge truck he was driving due to speed and road conditions. The truck traveled off the north shoulder and collided with a tree. Devino, who was not wearing a seat belt, sustained lacerations to his face and an injury to his right leg. The truck was totaled. The Brandon Area Rescue Squad transported Devino to Porter Hospital in Middlebury to receive treatment for his injuries.
•  On Feb. 2 at 18 minutes past midnight stopped a motor vehicle driven by Brian Hanson, 59, of Bristol on Hardscrabble Road in Monkton for a traffic infraction. The trooper said he believed Hanson was operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicants, and that a preliminary sample of his breath showed that Hanson’s blood alcohol content was 0.108 percent. Police cited Hanson for DUI.
WINTER WEATHER CRASHES
Monday’s blizzard was implicated in several traffic crashes. According to crimereports.com, state police dealt with 10 traffic crashes on Monday, Feb. 2, and five more before noon on Tuesday the 3rd.
At approximately 10:26 a.m. on Monday, state police responded to a report of a commercial motor vehicle off the road on Route 22A in Bridport. Police said the driver, 50-year-old Norberto Navarro of Newark, N.J., had been driving too fast for the icy road conditions and his Kenworth commercial vehicle ended up in the ditch. Navarro was taken to Porter Hospital for treatment of minor injuries to his collarbone. Route 22A was shut down for a short period in order to remove the vehicle safely.
Also on Feb. 2, a trooper responded to a one-car crash on Route 22A in Panton. The trooper said her investigation indicated that 34-year-old Christopher Dyke of Addison was driving a 2004 Subaru Forester too fast for conditions when he lost control of his vehicle and drove into a tree. Dyke did not sustain any injuries. The vehicle is estimated to be totaled and was towed from the scene.
In a third incident at around noon in weather that the trooper called “abysmal,” police said Ryan Langeway, 23, of Whiting was attempting to stop to allow a vehicle in front of him to take a left-hand turn when he lost control of the 2012 Subaru Impreza he was driving on Route 7 north of Town Hill Road in New Haven, was unable to stop and slid into the vehicle in front of him — a 2003 Chevrolet Venture driven by 28-year-old Jacqueline Hunt of New Haven. Hunt’s car was stationary when it was rear-ended by Ryan’s vehicle. Middlebury Regional EMS transported Hunt to Porter Hospital due to an aggravation of a previous back injury; she was later released. The trooper said prompt help from the New Haven Fire Department, Middlebury Regional EMS and Green Mountain Towing was crucial in allowing authorities to quickly restore the roadway for traffic.