Police briefs: Man pleads not guilty to assault after incident at a Rt. 2 home

January 3, 2024  |  By Lisa Scagliotti 

A domestic dispute at a home along U.S. Route 2 in Waterbury on Christmas Day has resulted in a simple assault charge in state criminal court for one man. 

According to Vermont State Police Trooper Ryan Riegler, a verbal dispute around 9 p.m. became physical between 33-year-old Robert Durand and a 28-year-old woman. Durand pleaded not guilty to a simple assault charge at an arraignment in Washington Superior Court in Barre on Dec. 26, according to court records. The charge carries a penalty of up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $1,000. 

Police said that Durand assaulted the woman who was evaluated by EMS and declined transport to the hospital.

Three other individuals at the home at the time witnessed the incident, Trooper Ryan Riegler stated in an affidavit to the court. At the time, police listed both Durand and the woman as transient, not having home addresses to share with authorities. A court record from the arraignment afterward, however, lists Durand at an address in Duxbury.  

Durand was held at Northeast Regional Correctional Facility in St. Johnsbury until his court appearance. Court documents show that he was released on conditions including having no contact with the victim in the case. 

Maryland man’s conduct at Mobil station sparks charges 

A Maryland man is facing charges after an incident at Billings Mobil gas station and convenience store in Waterbury on Monday, Dec. 30. 

Vermont State Police responded to the business just before 4 p.m. for a report of an assault. Trooper Mae Murdock in a press release said that 44-year-old Damon Callis of Silver Spring, Maryland, “engaged in violent behavior… and made unreasonable noise” directed at another patron, a 24-year-old man from Waterbury. At the time of the incident, four children were in Callis’ vehicle, Murdock noted. 

Two days later on Jan. 1, “Callis committed the offense of obstruction of justice when he offered monetary compensation to influence the outcome of the investigation,” according to the police report. 

Callis went to the Stowe Police Department where he was issued citations to appear in Washington County criminal court in Barre on Jan. 23. He will face charges of aggravated disorderly conduct, an offense committed in the presence of a child, and obstruction of justice, police said. 

Murdock noted that the investigation remains open and anyone who witnessed the incident is encouraged to contact Murdock at the Berlin state police barracks at 802-229-9191. Anonymous tips may be provided online at vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit.

Wayward driver faces DUI, resisting arrest charges

Vermont State Police say a Stowe woman whose vehicle went off the road in Waterbury Center on New Year’s Day is facing charges after she resisted arrest for DUI. 

The incident happened at about 6 p.m. on Loomis Hill Road, according to a press release. 

When police arrived, driver Gianna Skates, 43, of Stowe,

showed signs of impairment and physically resisted arrest, police said. Trooper Ryan Riegler’s account said that Skates was taken to the Montpelier Police Department where she refused to undergo processing. She was then taken to Chittenden County Correctional Center where she was cited to appear in Washington County criminal court on Feb. 13 to answer to charges of Driving Under the Influence-refusal and resisting arrest.

Hyde Park man cited for assault in Duxbury

A Hyde Park man faces an assault charge after a Dec. 5 incident on Wescott Road in Duxbury, according to Vermont State Police. 

Troopers responded to a physical fight between Felipe Dager, 68 of Hyde Park, and a 26-year-old Duxbury man at approximately 11:30 p.m. on Dec. 5, police said in a press release on Dec. 17. 

Dager was cited to appear in Washington County Superior Court Criminal Division to answer to a simple assault charge on Jan. 30, according to the police report.