ADDISON — A two-car crash on Route 22A in Addison Friday morning claimed the life of a South Burlington woman, who was driving one of the cars. The driver of the other car was charged with driving under the influence of drugs.
Cecile Druzba, 57, succumbed to injuries sustained in the head-on crash.
After investigating, Vermont State Police reported that Ian Labounty, 28, of Crown Point, N.Y., was driving a blue, 2013 Subaru Impreza northbound on Route 22A through Addison on March 22. At a little before 7 a.m. north of Route 17 near Carr Road, Labounty’s Subaru traveled left of center and struck a southbound, red 2013 Honda Accord driven by Druzba. The impact of the collision of the vehicles, which police said happened in the southbound lane, caused Labounty’s Subaru to overturn and come to rest on its roof partially in the southbound lane, while Druzba’s Honda travelled off the roadway, ultimately coming to rest perpendicular to the highway and on the lawn of a private residence. Police said Druzba was trapped inside her vehicle, unresponsive and possibly not breathing.
Airbags deployed in both vehicles.
Heavy, wet snow was falling and the snow-covered road was slippery, troopers reported.
First responders freed Druzba and her passenger — her brother Jacques Marton, 62, of South Burlington — from the Honda and Labounty from the Subaru and took them to UVM Medical Center in Burlington. Druzba died; Marton and Labounty were treated and released. A state police press release said Labounty was not injured.
Police said they determined that Labounty might have fallen asleep while he was driving, and learned that he had consumed drugs that may have contributed to this sleepiness.
Two state police Drug Recognition Experts conducted a drug influence evaluation and determined that Labounty was impaired and unable to operate a vehicle safely. They sent a sample of Labounty’s blood for toxicological analysis to conclusively determine the impairing substance. The investigation continues.
Police issued Labounty citations for driving under the influence of drugs and gross negligent driving with death resulting, and released him.
In addition to state police, other agencies responding to the crash were Town Line First Response, the Addison Volunteer Fire Department, Vergennes Area Rescue Squad and Vermont Agency of Transportation.