Feb 24. the court. In a follow-up report on Feb. 2, Harrington said he had talked with Bombard by phone about Hecks demeanor while at the Man of Kent Jan. 8. BENNINGTON, Vt. . Doucette commented following the release of multiple police . While attempting several times to acquire copies of police reports concerning the crash, family members and friends of Heck have alleged that the BPD was negligent for not trying harder to find him afterward. Mr. Chinnici was seized in front of family, handcuffed, and charged with the robbery. Wright, the son of prominent Bennington legislator Ralph Wright, who served in the Vermont House of Representatives and served as speaker, has become well-known around town for videotaping people and officials, and calling himself a reporter. . In one report, Officer Amanda Knox said she found a 4- by 4-inch piece of denim while searching the area for Heck on Sunday. The Bennington Police Department is withholding the suspects name until criminal charges are filed. Wright faces a maximum six months in jail and a $250 fine, if convicted on the count. Please contact the public information officer if you need access to one that is older. Chinnicis case is emblematic of well-documented problems with Benningtons police department, and it shows how much further Vermont still has to go to establish a culture of accountability in law enforcement. Hager told police that he passed Hecks vehicle, which then began high-beaming him a number of times before speeding up and passing him, police reported. You have permission to edit this article. Bennington Police are investigating a shooting late Saturday night. News releases include information about arrests and citations, reports about homicides and other major criminal investigations, traffic incidents such as crashes and enforcement, and any incident that could have public impact or be of public interest. Members of the Bennington community need to be clear in their expectations for the police department. Headquarters | 45 State Drive | Waterbury, VT 05671 | 802-241-5000, RANK/TROOPER FULL NAME: Trooper Colin Shepley, CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Bennington, Vermont. Police said they were advised by several witnesses that a driver, later determined to be Heck, exited the vehicle, grabbed an item from the back seat area and placed it in the front pocket of his sweatshirt.. Harrington reported that Bombard said he last saw Heck around 4 p.m. the night of the crash. Sgt. Contributing factors, road rage, and DUI drugs/alcohol.. Bombard also told police that Heck was not a big drinker and he did not know Heck to be a person who would drink and drive.. . Prosecution and punishment should be proportional to the offense alleged and should not vary by race, wealth or status of the defendant. Whenever feasible, policies and practices should be evidence-based and represent the best interest of all involved. BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - Let's take a look at what to do this Saturday. Riendeau was transported to the Shaftsbury barracks where she was processed and issued a citation to appear in Bennington Superior Court Criminal Division to answer to the charge of DUI #2 on 3-13-23 at 0815 hours. You . We hope that state legislators recognize that far more needs to be done to establish meaningful police oversight and accountability protections so that all community members are safe from abuses like these, and their rights are respected.. Additional factors, he said, include other drivers who witnessed what was described as a road rage incident on Route 279 on Jan. 8. BENNINGTON Police Chief Paul Doucette said Wednesday that he will "stand by the actions" of his officers following the Jan. 8 rollover crash of a pickup being driven by Hans Heck, who left the scene and was found three days later in a wooded area, having died of hypothermia. The Vermont State Police disseminates news releases for significant criminal or public safety incidents and arrests. Mr. Chinnicis experience is a product of a notoriously toxic law enforcement culture in Bennington, and another shocking example of what happens when we leave it to the police to police themselves. BENNINGTON Two town residents were arrested Thursday after police said they found a semi-automatic rifle and handgun along with suspected illegal drugs and thousands in cash during an investigation. Police did speak to the contact on Sunday, Jan. 10, and were told they had not seen Heck since Friday morning. Chance of snow 70%.. These releases are not intended to document every public contact or response to a call-for-service. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. As a result, there needs to be continued alignment between the Bennington Police Department and the Bennington County State's Attorney's Office to ensure agreement on the enforcement and prosecution of criminal offenses. Please call the criminal court clerk to confirm arraignment time. Doucette said he wanted to point out a misconception repeated on social media that the body was 200 yards from the scene of the crash, when Heck actually was found approximately that distance from Route 279 but much farther toward the New York line from the actual crash site near the Austin Hill Road underpass. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Don't miss the big stories. Police: Arrest made in Bennington killing. On the above date and time, the Vermont State Police-Shaftsbury Barracks was made aware of a possible assault that occurred in the Town of Arlington, VT. Further investigation revealed that Williams had assaulted West causing an injury to his face. BENNINGTON, Vt. (AP) A Bennington man is suing the town, its police chief and two officers, accusing them of violating his constitutional rights by arresting him in the 2016 armed robbery. This extensive effort in the United States brought together subject matter experts to study and produce recommendations related to the entire criminal justice system. The search had been suspended on Friday night, according to the reports, because of darkness, the cold, the loss of the scent track, and not knowing if the male had a weapon.. Mr. Chinnicis experience is a product of a notoriously toxic law enforcement culture in Bennington, and another shocking example of what happens when we leave it to the police to police themselves. : Mr. The witness told police the truck identified as Hagers then passed the Heck vehicle and the Nissan sped up alongside and swerved into Hagers truck before crashing and rolling over into guardrails. Complaints against members of the Bennington Police Department must receive thorough, timely, transparent, and objective investigation to determine the validity of the complaint, root cause of failure and work towards improvement. The deceased is Elton Dowd, 19, of Fitchburg. the court. The story will be updated as more information is made available. Wright allegedly threatened to intentionally cause a car crash with the former judge to attempt to show he drives intoxicated. Wright requested a court-appointed defense attorney, which was granted. More information Bennington police accused of negligence in missing man case SUMMARY OF INCIDENT: ON the above date and time, Vermont State Police were advised of a be on the lookout for a Dorr Oil truck which was being operated all over the roadway on US Route 7 in the Town of Shaftsbury. The police reports also describe attempting to locate Heck at the address on his Vermont drivers license but learning he did not live there, then checking two other addresses in Bennington where he was said to possibly be living. Doucette commented following the release of multiple police incident reports concerning the crash and efforts to locate Heck before his body was found Jan. 11 in a thickly wooded site off Route 279, where the crash occurred. Winds light and variable. One driver traveling in the same direction on Jan. 8 told police the Heck vehicle earlier passed several vehicles in the breakdown lane at speeds the witness estimated at up to 100 mph, before then slowing to almost a complete stop and almost causing a crash. Please call the criminal court clerk to confirm arraignment time. We hope that state legislators recognize that far more needs to be done to establish meaningful police oversight and accountability protections so that all community members are safe from abuses like these, and their rights are respected., An independent report by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) concluded in 2020 that BPD exhibited a , . Planned Parenthood to close 5 centers in north New England. South Burlington, VT 05403 (802) 652-6300 . May 13, 2022 GMT. The Nissan then rolled over and came to rest about 25 feet off the north side of the highway. Jason Burnham or Detective Corey Briggs at 802-442-1030 or through the BPD website, benningtonpolice.com. The decisions and practices of the Bennington County State's Attorney's Office, The Vermont Attorney General's Office and the Vermont Judiciary directly impact public safety, particularly the trust and confidence the community has in the Bennington Police Department. . . Show Transcript. Contact Tiffany Tan at ttan@benningtonbanner.com or @tiffgtan on Facebook and Twitter. In a follow-up interview on Feb. 1, Hager told police he was going from Hoosick Falls, N.Y., to Home Depot in Bennington prior to the crash. The same year the IACP issued its findings and reform recommendations, the ACLU, against BPD, while another caseinvolving, city officials retaliation against an interracial family. The driver then fled the scene on foot running south into the wooded area, police said they were told, and that the driver appeared to be intoxicated. Man of Kent owner Jon Bombard told Bennington police after the crash that he was a friend of Hecks, and asked that he be reported missing. The illegally obtained evidence was then used against Mr. Chinnici at trial. If Heck had not left the scene of the crash, he would have been charged with gross negligent operation and aggravated assault, Harrington wrote. Press Releases. Elected and appointed officials are responsible for facilitating this process, ensuring thoughtful changes are implemented, and owning the outcome. Low 29F. Vermont State Police and the Bennington County Sheriff's Department also responded to the incident. Bennington Police Department executed their . Bennington County States Attorney Erica Marthage couldnt immediately be reached for comment. Ralph Wright Jr., 64, was arraigned at the same courthouse he attempted to break into. Bombard said his friend was in a good mood and not in any arguments or confrontations while at the Man of Kent, according to the report. After Mr. Chinnici had been unlawfully seized, Doucette interrogated Mr. Chinnici, telling him, Im not going to lie to you. Doucette then told Mr. Chinniciuntruthfullythat a witness had identified him as the gunman by a unique facial tattoo, while Mr. Chinnici maintained his innocence. Recently, according to the affidavit, Wright approached an officer telling him to arrest a former judge for driving under the influence. Wright makes many posts on social media in which he can be observed harassing police officers, members of the media and court employees. . BENNINGTON The American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont is suing the Bennington Police Department on behalf of a Bennington resident who claims he was unlawfully arrested, interrogated, and searched after police repeatedly pressured witnesses to name him as an accomplice in a January 2016 armed robbery. In addition, the specialized resources of the Vermont State Police support our local, county and federal partners in times of need. Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the New York City Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, the Vermont State Police, and the Bennington Police Department. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE. According to the police affidavit in the case, on March 1, Wright Jr. posted a video on social media of himself entering a code into an employee door of the Bennington Courthouse after the building was closed. January 18, 2023. . Police say a male suspect in the shooting is cooperating with the investigation and that there is no danger to the public. Acknowledge that past and present inequities in the Bennington community often shape views that drive calls for change. Superhero 5K - November, 2022. . Pictured are scenes from a multi-vehicle crash & slide-offs this morning on I-89 in Georgia VT. ALT. BENNINGTON, Vt. (AP) Police took a 17-year-old male into custody near a Vermont high school after investigating a report of a . As of Monday evening, it was unclear whether the suspect has already been charged or when he might appear in court. Before his arraignment, Judge Kerry McDonald-Cady, in a court-ordered motion, transferred the case to Windham County, as Scanlon and James Colvin are witnesses referenced in the affidavit and are retired judges that have presided in Bennington County. BENNINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - Police are investigating after a suspicious explosive device was found inside a home in Bennington on Thursday. These releases are not intended to document every public contact or response to a call-for-service. Driver hospitalized after Bennington car crash. Sgt. After. BENNINGTON, Vt. (NEWS10) Vermont State Police are reporting the arrest of Max Misch, 38, of Bennington for violating the conditions of his release. These releases are not intended to document every public contact or response to a call-for-service. Jim Therrien writes for the Vermont News and Media newspapers, including the Bennington Banner, Manchester Journal and Brattleboro Reformer. According to reports from the officers involved, witnesses said Heck, 35, was involved in an apparent road rage incident and attempting to pass a pickup truck near the Austin Hill Road underpass when his Nissan Frontier pickup truck swerved and struck the side of the other vehicle. Contact: Stephanie Gomory, [emailprotected], 802-223-6304x111. Police found a female victim on the ground just off of the walkway suffering from a significant laceration, Doucette said. After an attempt was made to locate Wright, an arrest warrant was issued. Doucette then returned to pressuring Mayhew, telling him [Y]ou gotta be the one to officially say it. Officers responded to 308 Pleasant Street for a report of a fight involving a knife. Occasional snow showers. He said he stopped after the crash and asked if Heck was OK, and Heck repeatedly said he was before running from the scene to the south of the highway near the Austin Hill Road underpass. Roscoe Harrington stated in a report filed Feb. 8, It is this officers belief that the cause of this crash was gross negligent operation on the part of Heck. Anyone with information is asked to contact Bennington Police at (802) 442-1030 or online at www.benningtonpolice.com. Police investigated a report of an explosive device found at a property in Bennington on Thursday. He had the gun. Bennington Police Department leaders and officers need to be able to speak about potential outcomes to operational changes. Chance of snow 40%. Updated: Oct 12, 2022 / 05:59 AM EDT BENNINGTON, Vt. ( NEWS10) Police are looking to identify two young men after an alleged theft in Bennington. Occasional snow showers. Despite the employees contrary description, Mayhews refusal to name his accomplice, and no evidence connecting Mr. Chinnici with the robbery, Doucette arrested Mr. Chinnici without probable cause. According to a Vermont State Police news release, Patrick Mullinnex, the deceased victim in Wednesday's shooting on Pleasant Street in . Tiffany Tan reported for the Bennington Banner from November 2018 to September 2021, with a focus on police and court stories. A second device was located inside the residence but also determined not to be destructive. The Vermont Police Bomc Squad rendered the device safe and evidence was collected. He is charged with one count of attempted unlawful trespass into a building-a misdemeanor. Headquarters | 45 State Drive | Waterbury, VT 05671 | 802-241-5000, RANK/TROOPER FULL NAME: Sergeant Seth Loomis, INCIDENT LOCATION: U.S. Route 7; MM: 15.6, Bennington, VT. On the evening of 2-22-23, Troopers from the Shaftsbury barracks came upon a vehicle that slid off of the travel portion of U.S. Route 7 near mile marker 15.6 in the town of Bennington, VT. The prosecution is being handled by the Office's Violent and Organized Crime Unit. This acknowledgement promotes a greater level of understanding by all, that certain embedded feelings must not be taken lightly or dismissed and will be taken into consideration when developing and receiving recommendations for changes in Bennington Police Department policies and procedures. Vermont State Police have arrested two people in connection with stolen firearms from a Waterbury gun shop. Media Releases and News. Temps nearly steady in the mid 30s. He was taken into custody soon after. Referring to social media and other criticism of the departments actions from the time of the crash on a Friday night, Jan. 8, until Hecks body was found the following Monday, Jan. 11, Doucette said, I stand by the actions of the officers.. The reports also state that witnesses, including the operator of the second vehicle, a Ford 250 pickup, Michael Hager, of Hoosick Falls, described Heck as appearing intoxicated. Both vehicles had been travelling east shortly after 6 p.m. from Hoosick, N.Y., into Bennington. Trooper responded and located the vehicle travelling north on US Route 7. Multiple crews responded but did not find anything. Investigations are ongoing. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. A similar proposal was one of many police reforms opposed and defeated by law enforcement leaders last year. COURT: Vermont Superior Court Bennington Criminal Division, LODGED - LOCATION: Detox at Southern State Correctional, *Please note: court date and time are subject to change at the discretion of. If the Bennington County State's Attorney's Office and the Vermont Judiciary are disconnected from the Bennington Police Department, and/or the laws they are enforcing, the public loses faith in the police. in police interrogations. Simultaneously State Police were advised the vehicle in question had recently been stolen from the Town of Manchester. Ralph Wright Jr., 64, was arraigned at the same courthouse he attempted to break into. Ensure that all voices are welcomed and heard. Mr. Chinnici was seized in front of family, handcuffed, and charged with the robbery. The deceased is Elton Dowd, 19, of Fitchburg, Mass. BENNINGTON, Vt. The Bennington, Vt., Police Department said a suspected bomb or as police called it, "an energetic destructive device" was found Thursday inside a home at 351 Overlea Road. BPD releases officer reports on Heck crash, aftermath. Afterward, back on the record, Doucette implied that Mayhew had named John Chinnici specifically, which Mayhew denied. A New York State Police Aviation Unit helicopter located an area of interest off Route 279 that led to discovery of the body that morning. who were targeted by BPDis currently pending at the Human Rights Commission. Please note news releases are available on this blog for 30 days following their public release. Federal money bound for Burlington Airport to fund terminal expansion Updated : Feb. 28 . The Vermont State Police disseminates news releases for significant criminal or public safety incidents and arrests. Press Releases Crime and Justice Shaftsbury man sues Vermont State Police for $25 million, alleging troopers assaulted him By Ethan Weinstein Jan 18 2022 Vermont State Police Trooper. Snow this morning will give way to lingering snow showers this afternoon. He had the gun. Updated: Feb 28, 2023 / 01:19 PM EST. Don't miss the big stories. Wright could be heard on the video saying the day and time, then he is seen getting out of his white pickup truck and walking to the side door. The body has since been transported to Vermonts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for an autopsy. The Bennington Police Department was the first chartered municipal police department in the. Officers said they then began patrolling overnight on roads around the area trying to locate the driver. A cell phone also was found, but it could not be accessed because it was fingerprint password protected, police said. Healing of the community means healing of all. Contrary to social media reports, no bomb or explosive device was involved in the attack, Doucette said. Like us on Facebook. A phone number police obtained for the registered owner of the Nissan, the drivers sister, Karen Heck, was found to no longer be in service, police said. Subscribe today. Temps nearly steady in the mid 30s. The report was commissioned after revelations that Bennington officials withheld relevant evidence from then-Attorney General T.J. Donovans investigation into racial harassment of then-local resident and state legislator Kiah Morris, as well as multiple Vermont Supreme Court decisions concerning unlawful BPD traffic stops of Black motorists. Hager told police at the crash scene that Hecks vehicle had passed several vehicles and he was behind it traveling east on Route 279. Snow this morning will transition to snow showers this afternoon. BPD continued pushing Mayhew to incriminate Mr. Chinnici, ignoring Mayhews invocation of Miranda rights and promising him leniency. Thomas "TJ" Howard, both of the Vermont State Police. Shortly after the incident, someone ignited fireworks in the area of Depot Street, he explained. Yesterday morning, hours before Mr. Chinnici filed his lawsuit, the Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony on proposed, legislation to curtail the use of misleading tactics. The body was found Monday, Jan. 11, after family members and friends, along with police from Bennington and surrounding communities had begun a large-scale search. He then begins kicking the door and, getting no response, begins punching in numbers in an attempt to gain entry. the court. Heck left the scene that evening as temperatures were dropping toward a low of 15 degrees wearing a hooded sweatshirt and jeans, according to the reports, and his body reportedly was found in a gully in thick woods with only one shoe. Chinnicis case is emblematic of well-documented problems with Benningtons police department, and it shows how much further Vermont still has to go to establish a culture of accountability in law enforcement. Police were granted a search warrant and rendered the scene safe at around 5 p.m. Ultimately, the state legislature will have to decide how much longer it will tolerate these kinds of abuses before taking corrective actions to reimagine public safety and policing in Vermont.. The primary cause of this crash remains under investigation, however speed appears to be a contributing factor. Wright was released after pleading not guilty to the charge. Trio of Vermonters accused of kidnapping, assault . . Subscribe today. The week-long camp is a great way for kids to learn new skills while doing fun activities and building positive relationships. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. Like us on Facebook. Police investigate shooting in Bennington, Northern New York woman killed in 2-vehicle crash. BENNINGTON, Vt. (NEWS10) The Bennington Police Department is investigating a suspicious device that was located at 351 Overlea Road at around 9:15 a.m. on Thursday. Vermont State Police and the Bennington County Sheriffs Department also responded to the incident. These releases are not intended to document every public contact or response to a call-for-service.