Crime

Vermont State Police Log: Road rage incident ends with gunfire

ADDISON COUNTY — Vermont State Police cited both a man they said was responsible for a recent lengthy road rage incident on Route 100 in Hancock, Waitsfield and Duxbury, and a victim of the incident who eventually retaliated with gunfire.

On Oct. 8 state police responded to the area of Routes 100 and 125 in Hancock for a report of a road rage incident that started in Duxbury and ended in Hancock with the shooting of the vehicle driven by JohnGrayson Eckroth, 29, of Granville.

Police allege that Eckroth passed multiple vehicles on a double yellow on a corner in Duxbury and stopped in the middle of Route 100 in Waitsfield blocking both lanes of traffic. Police alleged that during this incident, Eckroth was tailgating, driving erratically, and brake-checking, actions that nearly caused multiple accidents. Many of these events were captured on a dashcam, VSP said.

Police said that Eckroth also followed a vehicle for 30 miles to Hancock, where he proceeded to drive by the house several times beeping his horn and causing a disturbance.

The vehicle then pulled into the driveway of a Hancock home of 36-year-old Larry Runk. Police report that Runk then fired birdshot from a shotgun in the direction of Eckroth’s vehicle, and it shattered the glass in the rear passenger door.

No one was injured in this altercation.

State police cited Runk for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and reckless endangerment.

Based on their investigation, state police later in the day cited Eckroth for negligent driving, disorderly conduct and giving false information to police in an attempt to implicate another driver in this road rage incident.

Vermont State Police remind the motoring public to not engage in road rage incidents and report aggressive driving.

State police were also involved in other activity recently:

•  On Oct. 11 state police identified the driver of a vehicle that had crashed into a Ferrisburgh house and then left in the early morning hours of Oct. 9. Police reported that Sierra Dessuerault, 27, of South Burlington was driving a 2015 Jeep Cherokee southbound on Route 7 when she attempted to turn left onto Old Hollow Road in North Ferrisburgh. Dessuerault overshot the turn, and the front end of her vehicle struck a residence on the south side of Old Hollow Road, causing minor damage, troopers reported.

Dessuerault suffered a broken arm as a result of this crash.

Police cited her for negligent driving and leaving the scene of an accident, and also gave her a traffic ticket.

•  On Oct. 12 at around 5 p.m. troopers received a call regarding a possible violation of an abuse prevention order in Lincoln. After investigating, police cited Andrea Hutchison, 55, of Bristol for violating the order.

•  On Sunday, Oct. 17, troopers closed James Road in Cornwall at around 3 p.m. due to a motor vehicle accident. Police reopened the road at around 6 p.m. Police did not provide any further information on the incident.

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