Five Vermont high school juniors were killed in a tragic wrong-way crash and the suspect who caused the crash has been taken into custody. Police say the suspect in custody has already faced domestic assault charges. The 36-year-old Williston man was arrested by police in relation to the crash on Saturday. State police say the suspect was the driver of a pickup truck traveling the wrong way on Interstate 89 that crashed into a car, which then caught fire. Police say the suspect in this accident was also arrested in May for domestic assault and unlawful restraint after his girlfriend alleged he threatened to kill both her and their two-year-old child. The suspect was a warehouse associate for a compony called Lake Champlain Chocolates
The five teenagers in the car were all pronounced dead at the scene and included four 16-year-olds and a 15-year-old. A Williston police officer arrived on the scene of the fiery crash. As he attempted to extinguish the car fire, the suspect jumped in the officer’s cruiser and fled the scene. Richmond police officers chased after the suspect in the cruiser as he hit seven other vehicles along the way.
The chase ended in a fiery crash, and the suspect was taken to the University of Vermont Medical Center. According to authorities, he is listed in critical condition. According to State police, nine other people were injured in the series of crashes related to this event on Saturday night, and many were taken to UVM Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.
If you are a victim of a traffic accident, remember you have a voice and Meyerkord & Kurth, LLC, can help you preserve your rights. Contact us today for legal support.