Waitsfield woman charged in wrong-way I-91 fatal crash
November 24, 2021 | By Lisa Scagliotti UPDATE: This story was updated with the name of the deceased.
A fatal crash on Interstate 91 on Tuesday has resulted in charges for a Waitsfield woman, according to Vermont State Police.
The crash happened at dusk, just after 4:30 p.m., on the southbound side of I-91 near mile marker 56 in Windsor. The weather was clear and road conditions were dry when police received reports of an erratic vehicle near mile marker 51.
The vehicle in question was a 2015 Nissan Rogue driven by 34-year-old Sarah Love. According to police, it turned around and began traveling north in the southbound lanes where it struck two oncoming vehicles, heavily damaging the second one, a 1991 Chevrolet Cavalier, in which the driver was fatally injured, police said.
State police late Wednesday afternoon released the name of the deceased driver as Kathleen L. Spence, 59, of Rockingham.
The first vehicle the Nissan collided with was a 2013 Fiat 500 driven by Rosemarie Reynolds, 34, of Greenfield, Massachusetts. She was wearing a seatbelt and sustained minor injuries, police said.
All three vehicles involved in the crash were totaled, according to the police report.
The investigation following the crash found Love to be impaired by alcohol, police said. She sustained a head injury and was taken to Mount Ascutney Hospital for a medical evaluation.
Police said Love was cited for the crimes of gross negligent operation with death resulting and driving under the influence with death resulting. She was scheduled to appear in Windsor County Superior Court to answer to the charges on Dec. 7.
State police were assisted by Windsor Fire and Rescue, Ascutney Fire Department, Windsor Police Department, J&M Auto, Vermont Agency of Transportation, and the Vermont State Medical Examiner's Office.
Anyone who witnessed this crash is asked to contact Trooper Austin Soule or Trooper Eric Acevedo of the Westminster state police barracks at 802-722-4600.