VERGENNES — Vergennes and Vermont State police, with some help from a number of upset motorists, on Feb. 13 issued a number of citations to the driver of an empty southbound log truck that Vergennes police said ran two vehicles off Route 7 and nearly struck three more.
City police said VSP cited Kenneth Willard, 67, of Leicester, for careless and negligent operation of a motor vehicle. Vergennes police cited Willard for 13 violations of federal trucking laws, most notably, they said, for fatigue and failure to maintain driving logs properly.
Police were called to the scene after multiple reports of the southbound truck veering out of its traveled lane, in one case, according to witnesses, as far as the breakdown lane on the northbound side. When Vergennes police arrived, they said Willard’s truck had been boxed in by other motorists on Woodman Hill, and the motorists and Willard were “verbally engaged” while they awaited police’s arrival.
In other incidents between Feb. 9 and 15, Vergennes police:
• On Feb. 9 checked the contents of a suspicious bag left at a Main Street business and determined it was trash.
• On Feb. 9 checked the welfare of a Second Street resident.
• On Feb. 9 helped the Vergennes Area Rescue Squad at a School Street residence to subdue an uncooperative patient who was believed to be suffering from a drug overdose. The patient was taken to Porter Hospital.
• On Feb. 11 ticketed one car parked in violation of the city’s wintertime overnight parking ban.
• On Feb. 11 picked up drugs and paraphernalia left in a vacated Creek View apartment; the case remains under investigation.
• On Feb. 11 were told by a Creek View apartment resident that her ex-boyfriend was stalking her; police advised her how to get in touch with WomenSafe and to obtain a relief-from-abuse order.
• On Feb. 11 accepted a black Nokia phone found by a citizen near the Bixby Library.
• On Feb. 12 dealt with a complaint that one man was harassing another with phone calls.
• On Feb. 12 tried to find a woman on East Street to serve a citation for retail theft on behalf of South Burlington police and learned the woman was already in jail.
• On Feb. 13 issued a temporary restraining order to a North Green Street resident on behalf of Family Court.
• On Feb. 14 cited Joshua Marrier, 22, of Brandon, after stopping him on Green Street, for possession of marijuana and paraphernalia and for driving an unregistered vehicle.
• On Feb. 14 helped a motorist get into a locked car on Main Street.
• On Feb. 15 responded to a report of an unresponsive man outside the Eagles Club on New Haven Road. Police said they found a homeless man who said he had spent the night outside after being dropped there by a bus the night before; he was taken to Porter Hospital for possible hypothermia.
• On Feb. 15 arrested Chad Lavasseur, 27, of Vergennes for domestic assault and lodged him at the Chittenden County Correctional Center. Police allege he punched a female acquaintance three times in the face, possibly breaking her nose, and also struck her torso and kicked her in the legs.