ADDISON COUNTY — Vermont State Police reported a number of car crashes in the past week, one of which resulted in a drunk driving charge.
On June 14 at around 6:15 p.m. troopers responded to a report of a car crash on Route 7 near Route 17 in New Haven. Police were told the 2002 Subaru Legacy nearly hit another vehicle before striking a guardrail.
Troopers located the Subaru near the scene and said the driver, 31-year-old George Niles Devoid of Salisbury, displayed signs of impairment so they screened him for DUI. After processing Devoid at the New Haven state police barracks, police cited him for driving under the influence, second offense.
There was some mystery around the June 16 crash of a 2000 Dodge Caravan that state police found at around 6:30 p.m. on Morgan Horse Farm Road near Hamilton Road in Weybridge. Police reported that when they arrived the vehicle was vacant. They figured out that it had been traveling northbound when it left the roadway and hit multiple trees, causing substantial damage to the vehicle.
The trooper reported that the driver was unknown, but that there were two passengers, both of whom were injured and treated at Porter Hospital — one for cuts and minor abrasions, the other for fractured ribs and scrapes. Apparently the driver of the minivan was still at large as this log was being written. The Vermont State Police is requesting anyone with information pertaining to this crash to contact Trooper June with VSP New Haven at (802) 388-4919.
Meanwhile, criminal charges are pending against a juvenile who was injured when the 1999 Jeep the youngster was driving crashed. Troopers report that at around 6:42 p.m. on June 17 the Jeep was westbound on Meehan Road in Bristol at speeds well in excess of the posted speed limit. The driver reportedly lost control of his vehicle and it traveled off the shoulder of the roadway and rolled over several times. Both the driver and a passenger were transported to UVM Medical Center to receive treatment for their injuries; the driver, who was not wearing a seat belt, suffered from cuts on his head and a broken arm. The Jeep was a total loss.
Separately, no charges resulted from the June 17 crash of a 2009 Subaru Outback on Route 7 near Floyd’s Automotive in New Haven. At a little after 2 p.m. that Saturday, state police report, Scott Fahey, 68, of Middlebury was driving southbound on Route 7 when the vehicle drove off the roadway, collided with a telephone pole guidewire and rolled onto the roof. The collision caused damage to the hood, front and rear bumpers, windshield, roof, and undercarriage of the Subaru; but police said injuries to Fahey were unknown at the time a press release was issued. There is no court action at this time. State police were assisted by the University of Vermont Health Network, Vergennes police, Charlotte Rescue Squad and New Haven Fire Department.
There was no crash, but on June 19 at around 11:16 p.m., police stopped a vehicle driven by 29-year-old Timothy E. Edwards of Middlebury on Route 7 in Rutland town after the trooper observed several traffic violations. The officer screened Edwards for DUI, took him to the state police barracks in Rutland and cited him for driving under the influence.
Also last week, state police issued citations for a criminal count of driving with a suspended license, also known as DLS.
Kelsey Kimball, 18, of East Middlebury was tagged for DLS after a trooper saw her driving on Route 125 at Kings Row in East Middlebury at 6:20 p.m. on June 15 and knew her license had been suspended.
A DLS citation also was issued to Christopher Jerome, 26, of Lincoln, but this June 18 incident was more complicated.
State police report that at approximately 9:40 a.m. Sunday they stopped the vehicle Jerome was driving on Route 22A in Shoreham discovered that he was drinking a beer while behind the wheel. In addition to DLS, the trooper cited Jerome violation of court ordered conditions of release and ticketed him for the civil infraction of consuming an alcoholic beverage while driving.
State police also cited two separate drivers in two separate incidents for speeding. Troopers report that Nicole N. Darbyshire 37, of Altamont, N.Y., was seen driving 84 mph in a 50 mph zone on Route 22A in Shoreham at around 8:30 a.m. on June 13. She is due to answer the charge of speeding when she is arraigned on July 24. Separately, state police report that Wayne Newton, 42, of Brandon was recorded traveling 97 mph in a 50 mph zone while driving southbound on Route 7 just north of Cram Road in Leicester at around 9:10 p.m. on June 18. He was scheduled to answer the speeding charge in court on Aug. 28.
Finally, VSP Sgt. Matthew Daley reported that there would be a sobriety checkpoint(s) conducted in Addison County by area law enforcement within the next four weeks. This will be done in an effort to monitor the flow of traffic along Vermont’s highways in the interest of detecting and arresting persons under the influence of alcohol or any drug that has impaired their ability to operate a motor vehicle.