A similar proposal was one of many police reforms opposed and defeated by law enforcement leaders last year. The story will be updated as more information is made available. Headquarters | 45 State Drive | Waterbury, VT 05671 | 802-241-5000, RANK/TROOPER FULL NAME: Trooper Colin Shepley, CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Bennington, Vermont. Police investigate an area of the Walloomsac River pathway in Bennington on Monday. Tiffany Tan reported for the Bennington Banner from November 2018 to September 2021, with a focus on police and court stories. Officers said they then began patrolling overnight on roads around the area trying to locate the driver. Investigations are ongoing. 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. Published: Nov. 14, 2020 at 6:34 AM PST. May 13, 2022 GMT. . The reports also note that Hecks wallet was inside the vehicle along with a .40 cal. Jim Therrien writes for the Vermont News and Media newspapers, including the Bennington Banner, Manchester Journal and Brattleboro Reformer. The illegally obtained evidence was then used against Mr. Chinnici at trial. Chance of snow 70%.. Bennington Police have been. 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 in police interrogations. This includes having more open conversations about coping with stress and trauma within the Bennington Police Department and informing the public, as well as elected and appointed officials, of the stress and demands on officers and staff. These releases are not intended to document every public contact or response to a call-for-service. 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. Winds light and variable. Contact Tiffany Tan . BPD officers had already been harassing Mr. Chinnici, including stopping him without cause simply because he was in [their] radar sights.. Lake Champlain Chocolates is hosting a free chocolate demo this afternoon from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in Burlington. 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. 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. Winds light and variable. Press Releases. The incident is the first reported homicide case in Bennington or the county this year. Mr. Chinnici now asserts that BPD officials and the Town of Bennington violated his federal and state constitutional rights. After getting a description of the suspect, a BPD officer reportedly found him on School Street. He is charged with one count of attempted unlawful trespass into a building-a misdemeanor. Bennington Police Officers are the branch of municipal government that enforces the law, but they do not make the laws. Jelley was subsequently transported to Albany Medical Center for further treatment. Driver hospitalized after Bennington car crash. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. They said they attempted to call a possible contact for Heck but did not receive an immediate call back. Anyone with information is asked to contact Bennington Police at (802) 442-1030 or online at www.benningtonpolice.com. They say the car hit Monday is. An employee at the building alerted police out of concern for a judge who was working in the building at the time. the court. 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. According to a Vermont State Police news release, Patrick Mullinnex, the deceased victim in Wednesday's shooting on Pleasant Street in . The same year the IACP issued its findings and reform recommendations, the ACLU settled a racial profiling lawsuit against BPD, while another caseinvolving city officials retaliation against an interracial family who were targeted by BPDis currently pending at the Human Rights Commission. While speaking with Riendeau indicators of impairment were observed. VSP News Releases Headquarters | 45 State Drive | Waterbury, VT 05671 | 802-241-5000 The Vermont State Police disseminates news releases for significant criminal or public safety incidents and arrests. Wright allegedly threatened to intentionally cause a car crash with the former judge to attempt to show he drives intoxicated. 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 deceased is Elton Dowd, 19, of Fitchburg, Mass. Ralph Wright Jr., 64, was arraigned at the same courthouse he attempted to break into. Sauer was later processed at the Shaftsbury State Police Barracks and released with a citation to appear in Vermont Superior Court Bennington Criminal Division on 02/27/2023 at 0815 hours. 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. Temps nearly steady in the mid 30s. Pictured are scenes from a multi-vehicle crash & slide-offs this morning on I-89 in Georgia VT. ALT. Additional factors, he said, include other drivers who witnessed what was described as a road rage incident on Route 279 on Jan. 8. The Bennington Police Department was the first chartered municipal police department in the. Trooper responded and located the vehicle travelling north on US Route 7. Please note news releases are available on this blog for 30 days following their public release. Police said medical examiner and a toxicology reports later showed that Heck had no significant injuries as a result of the crash, and he had a blood-alcohol level of .151, well above the .08 legal limit, along with cocaine and marijuana in his system. . 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. Vermont Civil Violation Complaint: Pending, *Please note: court date and time are subject to change at the discretion of. Subscribe today. Mr. Chinnici was seized in front of family, handcuffed, and charged with the robbery. Please call the criminal court clerk to confirm arraignment time. BENNINGTON Bennington Police have released the name of the individual who fell to their death off the Chapel Road-Route 279 overpass on Feb. 20. Email jtherrien@benningtonbanner.com. 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. BENNINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - Police are investigating after a suspicious explosive device was found inside a home in Bennington on Thursday. Contact: Stephanie Gomory, [emailprotected], 802-223-6304x111. The bill as introduced would be limited to interrogations of juveniles, though the ACLU is urging that its scope be broadened to prevent more abuses like those experienced by Mr. Chinnici from occurring. BENNINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - Bennington Police are investigating a shooting late Saturday night. Share this page on your favorite Social network. 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. 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. 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 primary cause of this crash remains under investigation, however speed appears to be a contributing factor. BPD continued pushing Mayhew to incriminate Mr. Chinnici, ignoring Mayhews invocation of Miranda rights and promising him leniency. Bennington County States Attorney Erica Marthage couldnt immediately be reached for comment. BENNINGTON, Vt. Bennington, Vt., Police have released the name of the individual who fell to their death off the Chapel Road-Route 279 overpass on Feb. 20. 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. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. He must appear at any scheduled hearings in Windham County or face a violation of release. In Bennington, police said they received a false report of two student shootings one at Grace Christian School and one at Mt. 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.. He also told police he did not know Heck to be someone who would drink and drive, according to the reports. Temps nearly steady in the mid 30s. Heck also had a conceal carry firearms permit from the state of Florida, where the Nissan was registered, and was seen taking something from his vehicle before running from the crash scene before police arrived. Feb 24. He had the gun. Chance of snow 40%. Bennington Police are investigating a shooting late Saturday night. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Low 29F. Incorporate this belief into the mission, vision, goals, ethics, and oath of the Bennington Police Department. 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. The Advocates recognize the departments forward thinking and action to reduce their carbon footprint by purchasing hybrid vehicles and their growing e-bike program. According to a news release from BPD Chief Paul Doucette, around 11:15 a.m. Monday, town police received a call about "a male attacking a female" along the Walloomsac River walkway between North and School streets. Williams was later issued a citation to appear in Vermont Superior Court, Bennington Criminal Division to be arraigned for the charge of Simple Assault. A traffic stop was conducted and the operator of the vehicle, Geoffrey Sauer was taken into custody for DUI #1, Negligent Operation, and Possession of Stolen Property. The Bennington Police Department, the lead investigating agency, said it continues to investigate the Monday killing and is asking anyone with information to contact Detective Sgt. Not you. After sustained pressure by BPD, Mr. Mayhew falsely identified Mr. Chinnici as his accompliceapproximately 30 minutes after Mr. Chinni had already been arrested. Shortly after the incident, someone ignited fireworks in the area of Depot Street, he explained. Contrary to social media reports, no bomb or explosive device was involved in the attack, Doucette said. Stay informed and read the latest news today from The Associated Press, . Subscribe today. He had the gun. 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. 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. Please call the criminal court clerk to confirm arraignment time. BENNINGTON A well-known local Bennington man was arrested late Thursday evening after he allegedly attempted to break into the Bennington Courthouse by punching in different codes in the keypad security system. COURT: Bennington Superior Court Criminal Division, *Please note: court date and time are subject to change at the discretion of, the court. You have permission to edit this article. Members of the Bennington community need to be clear in their expectations for the police department. A copy of the complaint is available here. Occasional snow showers. A Bennington man, Joseph Cattani, 48, is facing manslaughter and aggravated assault charges in Sharbys death. 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. 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. Jim Therrien writes for New England Newspapers in Southern Vermont. Prosecution and punishment should be proportional to the offense alleged and should not vary by race, wealth or status of the defendant. by: Courtney Ward. Police did speak to the contact on Sunday, Jan. 10, and were told they had not seen Heck since Friday morning. . Copyright 2022 WCAX. 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. When addressing problematic behavior by Bennington Police Officers, the Police Chief and Town Manager should have broad discretion in determining consequences and be able to act swiftly. . 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. Like us on Facebook. BENNINGTON, Vt. . 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.. 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. They also checked with Southwestern Vermont Medical Center but were told he had not been treated there. 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. They are Trooper Paul Pennoyer and Sgt. Whenever feasible, policies and practices should be evidence-based and represent the best interest of all involved. He was ordered to not have any contact or harass Scanlon, not to come within 10 feet of the courthouse or stalk Scanlon in any manner. 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.. More information Bennington police accused of negligence in missing man case who were targeted by BPDis currently pending at the Human Rights Commission. 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. 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. Wright makes many posts on social media in which he can be observed harassing police officers, members of the media and court employees. 317 were here. VSP News Releases Headquarters | 45 State Drive | Waterbury, VT 05671 | 802-241-5000 The Vermont State Police disseminates news releases for significant criminal or public safety incidents and arrests.