Police & rescue: Patrol stops 64 drivers; three-vehicle Rt. 100 crash and a snowmobile mishap
March 1, 2024 | By Waterbury RoundaboutBelow are recent reports from involved state and local first responders. This post was updated with details from Vermont State Police about a focused patrol on February 29.
Targeted patrol leads to 64 traffic stops
On Thursday morning, Feb. 29, Vermont State Police troopers from the Berlin barracks conducted a targeted patrol along Interstate 89 in Washington and Orange counties including Waterbury.
With the goal of targeting aggressive drivers and promoting safety, the patrol was done from 7 a.m. to noon along the interstate between Brookfield and Waterbury as well in the village of Waterbury, police said.
Troopers reported making 64 vehicle stops. They issued 23 tickets and 47 warnings to drivers, they said. Some notable stops were:
One driver was arrested and ticketed for traveling 96 mph in a 50 mph zone.
One driver was ticketed for operating with a suspended license.
Six drivers received tickets for traveling faster than 85 mph; three drivers were ticketed for traveling in excess of 90 mph.
Multiple vehicles were stopped for drivers using cell phones.
Afterward, in recapping the patrol, troopers issued this statement: “Vermont State Police would like to remind all motorists to drive responsibility, utilize a sober driver, leave a safe distance between vehicles, and put their phones down.”
Three-vehicle crash sends one driver to the hospital
A three-vehicle crash on Vermont Route 100 in Waterbury Center on Monday morning sent one driver to the hospital and resulted in two drivers receiving tickets, according to Vermont State Police.
The incident happened near the northern intersection with Gregg Hill Road at approximately 7:45 a.m.
Police said a 2020 Ford Ranger driven by Matthew Leblanc, 44 of Medway, Massachusetts, rear-ended a 2010 Volkswagen Jetta driven by Madison Dunbar, 25, of Waterbury. Dunbar’s car then rear-ended a 2015 Subaru Legacy driven by Charles Piazza, 34, of Morrisville.
The weather was clear but the road was wet at the time, police said.
Dunbar, who was not wearing a seat belt, according to the police report, was taken to Central Vermont Hospital to be evaluated. The other two drivers were wearing seat belts and did not report any injuries, police said.
The Subaru had rear-end damage; the Ford had minor front-end damage; the Jetta had both front- and rear-end damage, according to police.
After an investigation, police said Dunbar was cited for driving with a suspended license. LeBlanc was cited for following too closely.
Game wardens join local first responders at snowmobile crash
One person was injured when a snowmobile crashed into a tree during a guided tour in the Waterbury backcountry recently.
According to the Vermont Warden Service, the incident happened during the afternoon on Feb. 19 on the Vermont Association of Snow Travelers Trail 100S in Waterbury, about 10 miles from the Cotton Brook trailhead.
Game wardens responded along with crews from Stowe Rescue, Stowe Mountain Rescue, and the Stowe Police Department. The investigation determined that Upasana Nyaupane, 27, of Bridgewater, Massachusetts, was operating a snowmobile on a guided group tour in Mount Mansfield State Forest, officials said.
Nyaupane lost control of the snowmobile while navigating a curve along the trail. The rig left the east side of the trail, crashing head-on into a tree and ejecting Nyaupane and her passenger, according to the game warden’s report.
Nyaupane was transported out of the woods by the Snowmobile Vermont tour guide and taken by ambulance to Copley Hospital in Morristown for treatment of minor non-life-threatening injuries, officials said. They noted that the adult passenger on the snowmobile was unhurt.
The snowmobile sustained front-end damage and was removed from the trail by the guiding service.