STATE OF VERMONT

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY

VERMONT STATE POLICE

 

NEWS RELEASE

MOTOR VEHICLE CRASH

 

CASE#: 20B105675

RANK/TROOPER FULL NAME: Sgt. Ryan Wood

STATION: Westminster

CONTACT#: 802-722-4600

 

DATE/TIME: 5:41 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020

STREET: Interstate 91 northbound

TOWN: Dummerston

INTERSTATE MILE MARKER: Mile Marker 16

WEATHER: Clear

ROAD CONDITIONS: Wet

 

ACCUSED: Bernard McDonald

AGE: 65

CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Westborough, Massachusetts

 

VIOLATIONS:

• Leaving the scene of an accident

• Excessive speed

• Gross negligent operation of a motor vehicle

• Attempting to elude

 

 

SUMMARY OF CRASH:

Following further investigation, the Vermont State Police cited Bernard McDonald, 65, of Westborough, Massachusetts, on suspicion of the above charges related to this incident. McDonald is due to be arraigned at 12:30 p.m. today — Monday, Dec. 14, 2020 — in the Criminal Division of Vermont Superior Court in Brattleboro.

 

The investigation into this incident is ongoing, including the role that impairment may have played in this crash.

 

Please note: Information about a court appearance is subject to change at the discretion of the court. Please call the criminal court clerk to confirm arraignment details.

 

Capt. Roger Farmer, commander of Troop B for the Vermont State Police, will be available to speak with the media about this incident at 3 p.m. today at the Westminster Barracks, 1330 Westminster Heights Rd. in Putney.

 

The affidavit of probable cause will be filed with the court and made public following McDonald’s arraignment. The Vermont State Police will issue an updated news release when possible with full information about the other operators and passengers involved in this incident.

 

 

***Initial news release, 10:05 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020***

Multiple people were injured in a series of crashes Sunday night, Dec. 13, 2020, on Interstate 91 in the town of Dummerston involving a wrong-way driver. The Vermont State Police investigation into this incident is active and ongoing at this time, and the highway is closed in both directions. The preliminary investigation shows the following:

 

Police received an emergency call at 5:41 p.m. Sunday from a southbound driver who reported seeing another driver headed south in the northbound lanes. A state trooper responding northbound on the interstate with his lights and siren activated encountered the wrong-way driver in a pickup truck. The trooper swerved to avoid a collision and was sideswiped by the pick-up truck. The cruiser suffered minor damage, and the trooper turned around in an attempt to safely stop the vehicle.

 

A short distance later, the pick-up truck collided head-on with a northbound van, causing the van to strike a third vehicle. Two other vehicles went off the road while taking evasive action to avoid collisions.

 

The wrong-way driver was transported by ambulance to Brattleboro Memorial Hospital with unknown injuries. State police are investigating whether impairment contributed to the incident.

 

The van was occupied by four individuals. Three of them were taken by ambulance to Brattleboro Memorial for treatment of unknown injuries. The fourth suffered serious injuries and was airlifted by the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Advanced Response Team helicopter (DHART) to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire. That person’s condition was reported to be stable at the hospital.

 

The driver of the second pick-up truck suffered minor injuries and was transported by ambulance to Brattleboro Memorial. The drivers of the two other vehicles were evaluated on scene and released.

 

Vermont State Police investigators from the Crash Reconstruction Team are on scene. I-91 remains closed both north- and southbound between Exit 3 (Brattleboro) and Exit 4 (Putney). Motorists are advised to expect delays and take alternate routes. The Vermont Agency of Transportation is on scene assisting with the road closure.

 

Further details about the crash, including the names of the individuals and information regarding the vehicles involved, will be released after further investigation.

 

Police ask that anyone who witnessed the incident or who may have information that is relevant to the investigation call the Vermont State Police barracks in Westminster at 802-722-4600.

 

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