Aug. 21, 2008

Impersonating an officer

On Aug. 13, Vermont State Police in Williston were dispatched to a road rage incident on Interstate 89 in Williston. Upon arrival, police found a green Subaru Forester  displaying emergency flashing strobe lights on the front and rear of the vehicle. After an investigation, it was determined that the vehicle’s driver, Christopher Parker, 21, of Winooski, turned the lights on after an incident on the highway and attempted to pull over another vehicle, according to police reports. Police say Parker voluntarily agreed to go to the Williston barracks, where he was interviewed, processed and released with a citation to appear in court on Oct. 16 to answer to charges of impersonating a police officer.

Wayward herd

Police were called to South Road on Aug. 15 for a report of cows in the roadway, according to police reports. The herd of cows had gotten out of the pasture, and the owner was able “to round the cows back into the pasture” with some help, the report notes.

Burglary

• On Aug. 11, a burglary occurred at ICV Construction on Winter Sport Lane, according to police reports. A pressure washer, portable heater, generator and concrete saw were stolen, according to the report. An exterior door had been pried open in order to gain entry, the report notes. The investigation is ongoing, and police ask anyone with information to call them at 878-6611.
• Screens were cut at Partners in Psychiatry on Allen Brook Lane in an attempt to find open windows to gain entry into the building on Aug. 14, according to police reports. A small amount of cash was stolen, the report notes. Police ask anyone with information to call them at 878-6611.

Fraud

Crystal Barcomb, 23, of Fairfax and Danielle Hartley, 21, of Milton were issued citations on charges of fraud and no-trespass notices after allegedly admitting to the “fraudulent return and stealing” of several items from Wal-Mart on Aug. 11, according to police reports. Barcomb had an “active warrant and was lodged in jail,” the report notes. No information was released as to the nature of the warrant.

Theft

• On Aug. 12, police charged Victoria Ceptureanu, 24, and Irina Muteanu, 21, both of Burlington, with retail theft from Wal-Mart after they allegedly stole more than $300 worth of merchandise, according to police reports. They were released on citations to appear in court.
• A red Husky power washer valued at $450 was stolen from a front yard on Essex Road on Aug. 16, according to police reports. The thieves unhooked the washer from the garden hose, the report notes. The case is under investigation. Police ask anyone with information to call them at 878-6611.
• A 21-year-old man from South Burlington was charged with retail theft on Aug. 16 after allegedly stealing $35.63 worth of merchandise from Wal-Mart, according to police reports. He received a no-trespass notice from the store, and the case was referred to the Williston Reparative Board.
• John R. Light, 29, and John A. Monica, 25, both of Burlington, were charged with retail theft from Wal-Mart on Aug. 17, according to police reports. Monica was “arrested on an outstanding warrant as well,” according to the report. No information was released regarding the value of the merchandise allegedly stolen, or the reason for the warrant.
• A Colchester woman was referred to the Williston Reparative Board after allegedly stealing $67.09 from Wal-Mart on Aug. 17, according to police reports.
• A piece of heavy equipment from Peglise Construction in Williston was stolen from a job site on Aug. 18, according to police reports. The investigation is ongoing, and police ask anyone with information to call them at 878-6611.

Probation violation

Carmen Hu, 46, of Williston was taken into custody on Aug. 12 for “violation of conditions of release (4 counts),” according to police reports. She was cited to appear in court and released, the report notes. On Aug. 15, Hu was charged with violation of conditions of release again, and “was cited and transported to the Chittenden County Correctional Facility for detox,” according to police reports.

Driving with suspended license

• Andrew Koval, 19, of Essex was charged with driving with a suspended license and possession of marijuana on Aug. 13 after a motor vehicle stop, according to police reports. He was cited to appear in court. On Aug. 14, Koval was arrested on charges of driving with a suspended license-criminal, according to police reports. He had allegedly driven to the police department to “retain drug paraphernalia” confiscated on Aug. 13 after the previous stop, the report notes. He was processed and released.
• Joanne Mulliss, 56, of South Hero was charged with criminal driving with a suspended license on Aug. 14, according to police reports. Her license was suspended for driving under the influence, the report notes.
• William Preston, 36, of Burlington was charged with driving with a suspended license after a motor vehicle stop on Aug. 15, according to police reports. He was cited and released.

Non-sufficient funds

A check writer was contacted by Williston Police on Aug. 15 to come to the police station to “retrieve their citation for writing a bad check,” after the person allegedly wrote a $5,000 check from a closed account to MD Cosmetic Laser and Botox in Maple Tree Place, according to police reports. The woman was not named.

Dog bite

A woman was bitten by a dog on Essex Road on Aug. 17, and taken to Fletcher Allen Health Care, according to police reports. The dog’s owner was present during the incident, and “brought the situation under control,” the report notes. The owner provided proof of all vaccinations, which were up to date, according to the report.

July 31, 2008

Bad reviews

99 Restaurant in Taft Corners Shopping Center reported to police on July 23 that a man was “placing flyers on vehicles stating negative things about the restaurant,” according to police reports. The restaurant requested the man be given an order not to trespass on the property, but police attempts to reach the man were unsuccessful as of press time, according to police. A message was left on his voicemail, the report notes.

Domestic assault

On July 24, Carmen Hu, 45, of Williston was charged with “first degree aggravated domestic assault” and was issued a restraining order at the request of the alleged victim, according to police reports. According to police, this type of assault is defined as “willfully or recklessly causing serious bodily injury to a family or household member and using, attempting to use or being armed with a deadly weapon and threatening to use the deadly weapon on a family or household member.”
Hu was lodged at the Chittenden County Correctional Facility and released on a citation to appear in court.

Driving with a suspended license

• Benjamin J. Ashford, 25, of Randolph was charged with driving with a suspended license on July 21 following a “motor vehicle check,” according to police reports. He was released on a citation to appear in court on Oct. 6.
• Dana F. Rushford, 31, of Colchester was charged with “criminal” driving with a suspended license on July 21 following a motor vehicle stop, according to police reports. He was released on a citation to appear in court on Sept. 29.
• William Elwood, 33, of St. Albans was charged with “criminal” driving with a suspended license on July 26, according to police reports. He was released on a citation to appear in court.
• Following a traffic stop, Jeremy M. Marcotte, 19, of Williston was charged with driving with a suspended license on July 26, according to police reports. He was released on a citation to appear in court.
• Erik K. Hammond, 28, of Milton was charged with driving with a suspended license on July 27, according to police reports. He was released on a citation to appear in court.

Theft

• A juvenile was stopped while allegedly attempting to steal $17.92 worth of merchandise from Wal-Mart on July 23, according to police reports. The case was referred to the Williston Reparative Board.
• Irina Zhbanova, 20, was charged with retail theft on July 23 at Wal-Mart, according to police reports. No further information was available as of press time.
Intoxicated person
Police investigating a report found a man “walking down Williston Road drinking from a can and then throwing the can in the bushes,” on July 25, according to police reports. The man was found to have a blood alcohol content of .297, the report notes. The man was not charged, but was taken to Act 1 detoxification center in Burlington, according to police.

Boating accident

A sailboat capsized on Lake Iroquois on July 26, sending five people into the water, according to police reports. Four of the boaters were pulled from the water by a motorboat, while one had “returned to (the) sailboat that (was) still overturned,” when police arrived. The boat was towed to shore and “there were no violations,” according to police, who had no information on why the boat had capsized. No one was injured in the accident, the report notes.

Suspicious man with gun
As the result of a complaint of a “suspicious male with a gun,” Kyle Wolfe, 20, of Williston was charged with disorderly conduct on April 8, according to police reports. Police were called after a witness allegedly saw Wolfe emerge from hiding between cars parked on the north side of the green at Maple Tree Place, pull a handgun from his pocket, run up to a passing motorist and “fire at the driver,” according to the report.
When police responded, Wolfe told them the gun was not loaded and that he had “just fired compressed air,” the report states.
The gun was a carbon dioxide cartridge BB gun, according to police. Wolfe was participating in a game called “Assassin,” which police say has become popular with area youth recently, and which police Sgt. Bart Chamberlain described as “a dangerous game.”
“He had spotted his victims eating at Quiznos, and waited outside to ‘ambush’ them,” Chamberlain said of Wolfe.
Police were concerned that motorists, pedestrians or police in the area could have seen the incident, believed the weapon was real, and that someone then could have been injured, the report notes. Wolfe was cited to appear in court.

Dog bite
The Williston Police Department is attempting to locate the owner of a dog that bit a PetSmart employee on April 15. The dog is described as a mix breed puppy that appeared to be part Shepherd and part Australian Cattle Dog. Police need to confirm the animal is up to date on its vaccinations. Anyone with information should contact police at 878-6611.

Marijuana charges
• On April 2, Michael Weisler, 39, of Waterville was taken into custody and charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, according to police reports. He was cited to appear in court on May 5.
• On April 8, Brian Scotsross, 20, of East Fairfield was charged with possession of marijuana and retail theft, according to police reports. After Wal-Mart employees allegedly saw Scotsross steal two DVDs, his car was searched and marijuana was found in the vehicle, according to police. He was cited to appear in court.
• Muriel G. Lowell, 56, of Lake Elmore was charged with retail theft and possession of marijuana on April 9, according to police reports. Lowell allegedly stole about $60 worth of CDs and cell phone accessories from Wal-Mart, and had about four grams of marijuana in her possession, according to the report.

Six-car accident
On April 10, police, fire and rescue personnel responded to a six-car accident on Essex Road near the Vermont State Employees Credit Union just after 5 p.m. The driver of a rental car told police he was traveling about 40 mph and, after cresting the top of the hill, “misjudged the distance” to the vehicle in front of him, according to the report. Police observed no skid marks, and the driver said he didn’t “brake much,” the report notes. The driver hit the vehicle in front of him, which was stopped in traffic approaching the intersection of Essex Road and Industrial Avenue, the report states. The second vehicle then hit the third, which hit the fourth and so on, according to the report. The driver told police he “was not used to driving in stopped traffic,” according to the report.
Drivers in two of the vehicles were taken to Fletcher Allen Health Care and later released, according to police. Two of the vehicles sustained extensive damage, one moderate damage, and three minor damage, the report notes.
The driver of the rental car was found to be at fault for the collision, according to police.

Wanted woman arrested
On April 10, police arrested Jennifer Day, 25, of Bristol on two arrest warrants for passing bad checks after she came into the police department to pick up her license plates, according to police reports.
Her plates had been turned in to the police department “pursuant to a court order for some driving offenses,” according to police. She was retrieving the plates per a court agreement, but a police check revealed she was “wanted out of Lamoille County,” so she was taken into custody and lodged at the Chittenden County Correctional Center, according to police.