VERGENNES — Vergennes police on Saturday, Jan. 4, responded to a report of a drunken man at Shaw’s Supermarket and ended up taking him into protective custody when his blood-alcohol content tested at well over four times the legal limit for driving.
According to police, they discovered the man’s BAC was 0.349%; the limit for driving is 0.08. They brought him to the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility for detoxification.
In other incidents between Dec. 30 and Jan. 5, Vergennes police:
On Dec. 30 investigated a report of a mailbox that was destroyed the night before by what appeared to be a vehicle leaving the West Main Street roadway. Police believe the damage might have been caused by the same vehicle that struck a nearby fire hydrant the night before, and they are still looking into the incident.
On Dec. 31:
•  Assisted Vermont State Police with a man who had barricaded himself in a residence during a domestic assault; police said he was taken into custody without incident.
•  Provided Drug Recognition Expert services to Middlebury police with an individual suspected of being under the influence of cannabis.
•  Dealt with a report of a noise disturbance at a Sunset Drive residence with possible underage drinking involved.
•  Responded to a report of an assault that took place outside of City Limits Tavern; police said one patron hit another in the face outside of the bar. Police said they filed no citations because the victim did not want the other person involved charged.  Both men were asked to leave the bar and got rides home from other patrons.
On Jan. 1:
•  Ticketed three vehicles left out at night in violation of the city’s wintertime parking ban.
•  Ticketed two drivers during on West Main Street during a traffic detail.   
•  Took a report from a Hillside Drive resident that someone had placed bolts in the road in front of his ex-girlfriend’s apartment.
On Jan. 2:
•  Ticketed two vehicles left out at night in violation of the city’s wintertime parking ban.
•  At the request of the city fire department checked the welfare of a Maple Manor resident whose carbon monoxide alarm had sounded. Police said the woman had called the dispatcher and reported she had disarmed the device and was going to her friend’s house for the night; police said the woman was fine.
•  Received a report of two dead cats in a Green Street apartment; the tenant told police she had disposed of the remains.
On Jan. 3:
•  On a traffic detail on West Main Street and Hopkins Road issued two tickets and two warnings.
•  Responded to a report of a motorist driving from the Small City Market without paying for gas; police determined who owned the vehicle and contacted him, and he returned and paid for the gas.
•  Helped the owner of a locked vehicle parked at Collins Aerospace get into it.
On Jan. 4:
•  Notified the owner of a cellphone that was found at the New Haven Road car wash to come and pick it up.
•  Searched unsuccessfully for a man who made obscene gestures to and kicked the vehicle of a woman driving through a Main Street alley.
On Jan. 5:
•  Checked on the welfare of a School Street resident on behalf of a family member; the resident was found to be OK.   
•  Looked for a northbound vehicle that tailgated another vehicle along Main Street and also struck its rear bumper as it turned into the Ferrisburgh Jiffy Market; police could not find the vehicle, but issued an alert to other agencies.