VSP seeks the public’s help in fatal I-89 Bolton crash
November 27, 2023 | By Lisa Scagliotti Correction: The time of the incident in this post was corrected to a.m.
The Vermont State Police Crash Reconstruction Team is asking for the public’s help with the investigation into a two-vehicle crash that killed an Essex woman last week on Interstate 89 in Bolton.
The incident happened shortly after 7 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 22, near mile marker 72.9 on the southbound side of the highway. It was raining with possible slick road conditions at the time, according to a release from Trooper Christopher Hein with the crash reconstruction unit.
Police were dispatched at 7:11 a.m. for a report of a vehicle that had slid off the road, hitting another vehicle, the report states.
The investigation found that Josephine Buckley, 34, of Essex, was driving south in a 2014 Toyota Corolla which slid off the roadway due to suspected slick road conditions. “Evidence indicates that Buckley was uninjured following this slide-off event,” Hein wrote in the press release.
Approximately 10 minutes later, however, another vehicle driven by Owen Benoit, 19, of St. Albans Town was headed south in the left passing lane at approximately 50 mph when he began to lose control of his 2017 BMW 320i, causing it to spin, Hein elaborated.
Benoit’s vehicle went off the road and spun at least a second time, at which point the rear end of his vehicle struck the right rear corner of Buckley’s vehicle. It was that collision that fatally injured Buckley, according to the police report.
“It is believed Buckley was attempting to exit her vehicle prior to [it] being struck by Benoit,” Hein said. “Buckley suffered fatal injuries and was subsequently pronounced deceased at the scene.”
Benoit was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash and was uninjured, police said.
The Vermont State Police Crash Reconstruction Team is investigating this incident. Anyone who may have information that could aid in this investigation should contact the Vermont State Police Williston barracks at 802-878-7111.
Buckley was an employee at the Vermont State Forensics Lab in Waterbury on her way to work. Read more about her here.