Phone # (802) 229-9191
STATE OF VERMONT
Fax # (802) 229-2648
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
VERMONT STATE POLICE
Middlesex
PRESS RELEASE
TROOPER: Sergeant Trevor Carbo
CASE #: 10A301479
INCIDENT/VIOLATION: Attempting to Elude
Aggravated Operation Without Owners Consent
Leaving the Scene of an Accident
Gross Negligent Operation
Retail Theft
DATE AND TIME 04/23/2010
OF INCIDENT:
LOCATION: Interstate 89
St. Albans, Williston and Waterbury.
SUSPECT: Brendan Houston
AGE: 19
ADDRESS: Court Street, Montpelier, VT
On 04/23/2010 Vermont State Police – St. Albans attempted to stop a vehicle that had been reported to be involved with a theft of gas and alcohol from a convenience store in the St. Albans area. The vehicle, a 1982 Mercedes had been reported stolen earlier in the evening from Main Street in Montpelier. The pursuit continued south on Interstate 89 into Waterbury. The Mercedes did not have its headlights on and was traveling at speeds of approximately 90 MPH. Troopers from the Middlesex barracks set up tire deflation devices near exit 10 in Waterbury in an attempt to stop the Mercedes.
The Mercedes ran over the deflation devices which deflated all the tires on the vehicle. The Mercedes continued traveling south for approximately one mile before crossing the grassy median and traveling into the northbound lane of travel. The Mercedes travelled southbound in the northbound lane without its headlights on for approximately one quarter of a mile before colliding head on with a northbound vehicle. The driver of the Mercedes fled the area on foot into a wooded area.
Troopers, assisted by a K-9 from the Williston barracks pursued and tracked the driver several miles into the wooded area. The driver of the stolen Mercedes was located by Troopers and the K-9 approximately one and a half hours later in the woods. The operator was identified as Brendan Houston of Montpelier.
Houston was charged with two counts of retail theft out of Franklin County for the theft of the alcohol and gas. Houston was charged in Washington County for Aggravated Operation of a Vehicle Without The Owner’s Consent, Attempting to Elude, Gross Negligent Operation, Leaving the Scene of an Accident, and being a person under the age of 21 years old with a blood alcohol content over .02%. Houston’s blood alcohol content approximately four hours after the collision was approximately .03%. Houston was transported to the Middlesex barracks where he was processed for suspicion of DUI and the above mentioned charges. He was lodged at the Chittenden County Correctional Center and is scheduled to appear in Washington District Court on Monday, April 26 at 12:30 pm.
The second vehicle involved which collided head on with the Mercedes was being driven by a female with two young children. The female was transported to the Central Vermont Hospital (CVH) for a leg injury. The children did not appear to sustain any significant injuries. The names of these three individuals will not be released at this time and they have been treated and released from CVH.
Both vehicles were heavily damaged (totaled) and were towed from the scene. The northbound lane of Interstate 89 was closed for approximately two hours while Troopers processed the scene.
The Vermont State Police were assisted by Colchester Police, Montpelier Police, Barre City Police, and a United States Border Patrol helicopter who had responded to assist in locating Houston in the woods. Although Houston was apprehended moments before the USBP helicopter arrived, their assistance was instrumental in guiding the Troopers and K-9 out of the wooded area.
end of release:I was reporting this as it happened last night on
www.FranklinOne.com The report is still up for you to see.
