BRISTOL — The Bristol Police Department in February dealt with a host of mostly minor incidents, including domestic disturbances, drunk drivers and fighting students. They also ticketed or towed motorists who continue to defy the town’s winter parking ban on some streets.
On Valentine’s Day, Saturday, Feb. 14, just before 1 a.m. police arrested a Waitsfield man on suspicion of a slew of driving-related charges. Police stopped Eric Lundblad, 35, on Stoney Hill Road for driving with an expired registration. The officer suspected Lundblad was intoxicated and took him to the station, where he refused a breath test. Conditions set by a judge after a previous arrest were that Lundblad neither drive nor consume alcohol, police said.
He was cited into Addison County Superior Court, criminal division, to answer to charges of driving with a suspended license, driving under the influence, and violating conditions of his release.
During the month police also conducted 13 town-contracted patrols in a number of areas, including Route 116, Monkton Road, Burpee Road, Notch Road, Lincoln Road and Daniel’s Four Corners, during which they issued two tickets and made one arrest.
Police on six occasions provided security at Mount Abraham Union High School basketball games, and wrote a total of seven parking tickets.
In other action in February, Bristol police:
•  On Feb. 1 at 11 a.m. responded to a Maple Street home for a family fight involving the custody of a child. Police calmed the situation and referred the case to court.
•  On Feb. 3 at 11 a.m. ticketed two vehicles on the town highway for blocking snowplows.
•  On Feb. 4 at 3:38 p.m. responded to a minor two-vehicle crash at North Street and Prince Lane. Both vehicles were damaged but able to be driven from the scene.
•  On Feb. 4 at 8:16 p.m. responded to the area of the old Bristol high school for a report of a drunk man. Police couldn’t find anyone fitting that description.
•  On Feb. 5 just after 7:30 a.m. checked the welfare of Liberty Street resident. A friend of the resident had just arrived before police and found the resident had fallen and had been lying on the floor for more than two hours, but was not hurt. Police called a family member to provide continued care.
•  On Feb. 5 just before 9:30 a.m. received a complaint from the highway foreman that vehicles were parked on Park Place between 6:30 and 7:30 a.m., impeding snow removal. Police wrote tickets to the registered owners of the vehicles.
•  On Feb. 6 at 5 p.m. cited an Essex Junction woman for driving with a suspended license. Police, already on patrol on Monkton Road, received a call of a car being driven erratically on Monkton Road heading into Bristol. The officer pulled over the vehicle on Burpee Road and determined that the driver, Kasey L. Mayer, 31, had a suspended license.
•  On Feb. 7 received a call about an erratic driver on Route 116 heading east that had caused a crash near Route 17. Police stopped the vehicle on Main Street and obtained information from the driver, whose identity they did not disclose. Police forwarded the case to their counterparts at the Vermont State Police.
•  On Feb. 8 just after midnight ordered one car towed on Main Street for defying the winter parking ban.
•  On Feb. 8 at 9:45 a.m. received a complaint of vehicles illegally parked on Park Place, blocking snowplows. Police wrote four parking tickets.
•  On Feb. 8 at 8 p.m. spoke with a driver of a vehicle parked in the Shaw’s lot about a traffic violation. The officer smelled what he believed to be marijuana in the vehicle; the driver refused a consent search so officers seized the vehicle until a judge could decide whether to issue police a warrant to search it. Police did not identify the driver nor say whether they did receive a warrant.
•  On Feb. 9 at 11:30 a.m. received a complaint of harassment via phone calls and text messages from a local resident. At the request of Bristol police, cops in Milton formally warned the alleged harasser that further contact would result in criminal charges.
•  On Feb. 9 at 2:14 p.m. issued a ticket to a Mount Abe student for allegedly possessing tobacco oil. Police said they would test the oil to see if a drug had been added to it.
•  On Feb. 9 at 3:15 p.m. a Starksboro resident said she lost her passport and green card somewhere between LaGuardia Airport in Queens, N.Y., and Starksboro. Police referred the case to Vermont State Police.
•  On Feb. 10 at 8:37 p.m. arranged to help a Mountain Street landlord speak with a tenant about complaints from other tenants, but the landlord called and said police assistance was no longer needed.
•  On Feb. 11 at 6:47 p.m. responded to the corner of Main and South streets for a report of two men arguing, but the quarrel was over when police arrived.
•  On Feb. 12 for several hours spoke with third- and fourth-grade students about drugs, alcohol and decision-making at Bristol Elementary School.
•  On Feb. 12 at 10:19 a.m. helped a Lincoln resident dispose of unused prescription medication.
•  On Feb. 12 at 9:30 p.m. assisted a Main Street resident get back into her apartment after she locked herself out.
•  On Feb. 13 just before 2:30 p.m. responded to an alleged assault at Mount Abraham on behalf of the parents of the victim. Police determined that two assaults had occurred at the school that day. Police evaluated one student for injuries and said the investigation is ongoing.
•  On Feb. 15 at 11:30 a.m. a Good Samaritan turned in an iPod found in the parking lot of the First Baptist Church after congregants couldn’t determine who owned it.
•  On Feb. 16 at 4:35 p.m. helped a Bristol resident get into her car after she locked herself out.
•  On Feb. 17 at 6 p.m. responded to an undisclosed West Street business after the cashier reported a fuel theft from the day before. The cashier said a man the cashier knew said he would pay for gas at a later time, but never did. Police said because the cashier and man entered into a “verbal contract,” they could not take court action.
•  On Feb. 17 at 8:37 p.m. took a complaint of a parking problem near a Church Street home, where a man had trouble getting into his driveway. Police determined the cars parked on the street were there legally, but noted that high snow banks made parking difficult.
•  On Feb. 17 at 9:30 p.m. helped a North Street man speak with his wife, who suffers from dementia. Police said they’d follow up the next day.
•  On Feb. 19 at 1 a.m. ordered a vehicle towed from Main Street for violating the winter parking ban.
•  On Feb. 19 at 9:34 a.m. assisted a motorist who had driven off of Burpee Road.
•  On Feb. 19 at 11:52 a.m. found a stray dog in the police station parking lot. Police used information on the dog’s tags to find the pooch’s owner.
•  On Feb. 20 at 12:30 p.m. arrested a Bristol woman on a warrant issued by a Chittenden County judge. Police said Cassandra Fraser-Brown failed to appear in court Jan. 26 to answer to credit card fraud and petit larceny charges, but did not disclose how they found her.
•  On Feb. 20 at 2:40 p.m. responded to a minor two-vehicle crash in the post office parking lot and wrote a crash report.
•  On Feb. 20 at 4:33 p.m. started investigating the theft of personal items from an employee at a town business.
•  On Feb. 21 at 3 p.m. helped two elderly men get into a truck they’d locked themselves out of.
•  On Feb. 22 at 6:37 p.m. ticketed two vehicles parked on Park Place in violation of the winter parking ban.
•  On Feb. 23 at 9:47 a.m. took a complaint from the parent of a Mount Abraham student regarding harassment at the school.
•  On Feb. 23 at 3:21 p.m. responded to Kountry Trailer Park for a reported family dispute. Police determined the dispute involved a child custody exchange, and stuck around until everyone calmed down.
•  On Feb. 23 at 4:17 p.m. on behalf of the Department of Children and Families began investigating an incident that occurred in Bristol.
•  On Feb. 24 at 4:15 p.m. received a digital camera a resident had found at the town dump and were able to locate the owner by looking at the pictures stored on the memory card.
•  On Feb. 24 at 6:16 p.m. took a complaint from a Main Street resident who said a friend’s estranged husband was stalking the friend. Police said they’ve received no complaints from the alleged victim.
•  On Feb. 25 librarians at Lawrence Memorial Library reported that someone had failed to return several items signed out from the library. Police said they’d follow up.
•  On Feb. 25 at 12:37 p.m. attempted to serve a court order to a Bristol resident on behalf of the Chittenden County State’s Attorney, but could not locate the individual.
•  On Feb. 25 at 4:48 p.m., at the request of a clerk at Champlain Farms, checked an ID presented to purchase alcohol for authenticity, and determined it was indeed real.
•  On Feb. 26 shortly before 1 a.m. received a report of a drunk man who had knocked on a neighbor’s door complaining of severe stomach pain. Bristol Rescue Squad personnel came and took the man to Porter Medical Center.
•  On Feb. 26 at 1 p.m. took a complaint from a Mountain Street resident who said his apartment had been broken into, items had been removed and there was possible damaged by the landlord. Police determined the “action was ordered by the court so repairs could be done,” and referred the incident to the complainant’s attorney.
•  On Feb. 26 at 1:18 p.m. took a complaint from a parent of a Mount Abraham student that someone had stolen their child’s iPhone. The parent called back later and said the phone had been located.
•  On Feb. 26 at 2:38 p.m. assisted the Addison County Unit for Special Investigations with a cyber investigation.
•  On Feb. 26 at 3 p.m. sat down with Mount Abraham staff and a parent to address a truancy issue with a student.
•  On Feb. 27 just after midnight happened upon a vehicle with several occupants parked in the lot of the Lincoln General Store after hours. Police thought this to be suspicious and approached the occupants, who police said consented to a search of the vehicle during which marijuana was recovered. Police said civil actions are pending.
•  On Feb. 28 at 2:48 p.m. took a complaint from a citizen who said they were receiving harassing text messages from someone else. Police said they’d follow up.
•  On Feb. 28 helped state troopers with a DUI traffic stop on Route 116 near Carlstrom Road. Police determined that the driver was not impaired.