ADDISON COUNTY — Vermont State Police cited a New Haven man for driving under the influence of intoxicants twice in three days last week — the second time after a crash that destroyed his car.
The first citation came on Wednesday, Oct. 24, at quarter to 2 p.m. when a state police trooper saw a vehicle speeding on Route 17 in New Haven — 78 mph in a 45 mph zone — while the driver used a hand-held electronic device. The officer pulled the car over and identified the driver as Philip Culhane, 50, of New Haven.
Police allege that Culhane exhibited several clues of impairment so they took him to the New Haven barracks, where he was cited for driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs.
Three days later, at shortly before 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 27, state police were notified of a two-car crash on Bristol Road near Church Road in Monkton. When the trooper arrived she determined the crash involved only a single vehicle — a 2016 BMW X5 driven by Culhane. The BMW was determined to be a total loss.
Culhane told the officer that he was driving northbound on Bristol Road at an unknown speed on a wet road, lost control of his vehicle and went off the roadway. Again, the trooper said that Culhane showed several signs of impairment and was subsequently taken into custody and transported to the New Haven Barracks, and cited for DUI. He’s due to answer the charge on Monday, Nov. 5, in Addison Superior Court, criminal division.
Culhane was not injured in his crash. A Vergennes man was not so lucky.
Casey “CJ” Poquette, 25, of Vergennes was killed on the evening of Friday, Oct. 26, in a car crash off Green Street in Waltham. State police said that a little after 9 p.m. Poquette’s car left the road and struck two utility poles and a barn. He was taken to Porter Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. He was the only occupant of the car. See a full story in the A section of today’s edition.
In other recent activity, Vermont State Police:
•  On Oct. 23 at 10:47 p.m. stopped a vehicle on Route 110 in Chelsea for failing to maintain its lane. Police cited the driver, identified as 32-year-old Brian Bowdish of Salisbury, for driving under the influence and for reckless endangerment of a child due to the fact that there was a juvenile in the car.
•  On Oct. 25 at approximately 3 p.m. were notified of a three-car crash on Monkton Road near Burroughs Farm Road in Ferrisburgh. State police report that
Matthew Hawes, 33, of Vergennes was driving westbound on Monkton Road at approximately 30-40 mph when he crested a hill and noticed several vehicles stopped at a railroad crossing. Hawes told police that he slammed on his brakes, but rear-ended the vehicle in front of him, which was driven by Delbert Bryant, 48, of Milan, N.H. Like Hawes, Bryant said he crested the hill and saw the stopped vehicles and slammed on his brakes, but he did stop. When Hawes’s vehicle struck Bryant’s, then Bryant’s vehicle rear-ended a vehicle driven by Paige Howell, 23, of Hinesburg.
No one was injured in these crashes, but each vehicle was damaged.
Police said neither alcohol nor drugs were found to be contributing factors in the collision.
Tickets for following too closely were due to be issued.
•  On Oct. 25 at a little past 5 p.m. responded to a two-vehicle crash on Route 116 near the intersection of River Road in Bristol. Upon arrival, both operators were on scene. Police report that a northbound Chevy Cruze driven by Mildred Larrow, 77, of Middlebury was turning left into a driveway when it was struck by a southbound Chevy Sonoma driven by 19-year-old Kaitlyn Anderson of Whiting.
Both drivers were taken to Porter Hospital for treatment of minor injuries; both vehicles were totaled.
Neither alcohol nor drugs played a factor in the collision, state police report.
Troopers were assisted by Bristol fire and rescue.
•  On Oct. 27 at approximately 8 p.m. received information of a possible missing person after a county man had sent family members an e-mail that made them worry about his welfare. The man turned up in fine condition after police put out a call for the public’s help in finding him.
•  On Oct. 28 at 8:10 p.m. went to the scene of a pickup truck crash on Weybridge Road in Weybridge. Police said that for unknown reasons John Wurst, 39, of Weybridge drove a 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 off Weybridge road, struck several mailboxes, travelled back onto the roadway, and left the roadway a second time and came to a position of rest down a slight embankment.
During the investigation Wurst, who was not injured, exhibited several signs of impairment, so troopers took him to the Middlebury Police Department for processing. Wurst was released to a sober party after being cited for refusing to take a DUI-sobriety test.