SALISBURY — Authorities have filed criminal charges against a Springfield man who was driving a car that crashed into another vehicle on Route 7 in Salisbury last month, killing a passenger in the second vehicle.
Vermont State Police on Thursday formally cited Shawn Newell, 33, for gross negligent driving with death resulting.
Brian Kerr, 40, of Ripton was killed on April 20 when the car that Newell was driving smashed head-on into the car Kerr was riding in.
State police report that Newell was driving a 2010 Mazda MZ3 northbound at a high rate of speed, passing slower vehicles that were ahead of him on the morning of April 20. At around 6:30 a.m., Newell’s car travelled left of center to pass a vehicle in front of him, pulling into the path of an oncoming southbound car driven by Christina Walker, Kerr’s partner. Both Newell and Walker attempted to avoid a crash by driving into the breakdown lane, but the two cars did collide and ended up off the roadway near Pomainville Drive.
Middlebury Regional EMS rushed Kerr, a passenger in Walker’s car, to Porter Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. He is survived by Christina Walker, his companion of 22 years, and their three children.
Both Walker and Newell ended up at UVM Medical Center to be treated for injuries suffered in the crash.
Newell is due to answer the criminal charge on June 5 in Addison Superior Court, criminal division.