Traffic Stopped Northbound At MM107 - 21 Year Old St. Albans Man Killed

[Henry]

Chris Santee just gave me a call and he is held up at Mile Marker 107 Northbound on the Interstate - Apparently a tractor trailer and car accident - He wasn't sure.

[Chris Santee]

A northbound tractor trailer with logs flipped and a fire started near Mile Marker 107 on I-89.
There was a second fire and possibly a second vehicle, probably a car.
I was on the Industrial Access Road next to I-89.
Georgia Fire Department, AMCARE and at least five VSP cruisers were present.
Traffic was backed up south of Exit 18.
Still was when I left.

[Chris Santee]

Vermont State Police sent an e-mail:

They're getting everyone northbound off at Exit 18 now.

[Henry]

Mary Kay just called and got off at exit 18 - Heard AmCare a while back but not able to understand anything.

[Henry]

Fox 44 Reports pretty much the same as Chris Santee did:

Police are on the scene, Wednesday night, of a serious crash on Interstate 89 north of Georgia, near mile marker 107.

There has been a two-vehicle crash involving a car and a log truck.

We have a crew at the scene. They say one of the vehicles burst into flames.

Police say northbound traffic is closed at this time at exit 18.

We'll have more information as it becomes available.

http://www.fox44now.com/global/story.asp?s=12199491



Channel 3 reports Vt. State Police have closed Interstate-89 north at exit 18 due to an accident.

Witnesses say it appears a log truck is on fire off the side of the highway in Georgia, Vt.

Several more photos by Zach Centabar besides the one shown above at the following link:

http://www.wcax.com/global/story.asp?s=12199400

[Henry]

Fox 44 stated in their 10 p.m. news that a Southbound car came across the median became air bound and hit the log truck.  The person in the car was killed, however the person in the log truck which went some 200 feet off the interstate and caught fire was not injured.

Nobody has been identified in either the car or the log truck.

[Chris Santee]

STATE OF VERMONT
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
VERMONT STATE POLICE
PRESS RELEASE
 
MOTOR VEHICLE CRASH
                                                                             
CASE#: 10A201160
TROOPER:   Timothy Woch                                       
STATION:  St. Albans                   
CONTACT#: 524-5993
DATE/TIME:  03-24-10/ 1838
LOCATION (specific): I-89 North Bound Mile Marker 107
 
VEHICLE #1 OPERATOR:  Thomas R. Russel III                         AGE: 21   
SEAT BELT? Unknown
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: St. Albans VT
DESCRIPTION OF VEHICLE: 1994 Toyota Corolla
DAMAGE TO VEHICLE: Extensive Damage

VEHICLE #2 OPERATOR: Gilles Turgeon                           AGE: 57     
SEAT BELT? Y 
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Montreal, Quebec
DESCRIPTION OF VEHICLE:  Tractor Trailer Unit with full load of Logs.
DAMAGE TO VEHICLE:  Extensive damage to the entire Cab of the vehicle.
 
INJURIES
1994 Toyota Corolla/ Thomas Russell III / St. Albans, VT / AGE 21/ Seat Belt
Unknown / NATURE OF INJURY: Fatal                 
WEATHER:  Clear with sun   
ROAD COND: Clear and dry
 
SUMMARY OF CRASH:
On 03/24/10, at approximately 1838 hours, Vermont State Police responded to a
serious motor vehicle accident on I-89.  The accident occurred in the Northbound
travel portion of the interstate near mile marker 107.
 
It was determined that Thomas R. Russel III was operating a 1994 Toyota Corolla
traveling Southbound. Due to an unknown reason Russell crossed over the median
heading into the Northbound travel portion of the interstate. 
 
Upon entering the Northbound travel portion Russell struck a Tractor Trailer
unit which was hauling a load of logs.  Upon impact Russell's vehicle engulfed
in flames and he died on impact. The Tractor Trailer operator then drove off of
the east side of the interstate into the ditch. 
 
The Tractor Trailer unit slammed into some trees and pinned the Toyota Corolla
underneath it.  At this time both vehicles burst into flames.  The Tractor
Trailer operator got out of the vehicle before both vehicles became fully
engulfed in flames.
 
At this time Georgia rescue responded to the scene and extinguished the fire.
Later the Vermont State Police Crash Reconstruction Team responded.

[Henry]

I notice the car was a Toyota - My first thought was wonder if the gas pedal stuck??

[Chris Santee]

Less than 24 hours later..........

Police are currently on the lookout for:
a girl travelling at a high rate of speed,
weaving in and out of traffic on I-89,
while applying make-up.

[cedarman]

" 94 Toyota" - made at the time when Toyota was much more conscious about quality, so I would guess it wasn't a stuck gas pedal, but they used throttle "cables" then, so it's not impossible.

[Henry]

St. Albans-Thomas R. Russell III, 20, passed away unexpectedly and went to be in the arms of his mother, Nancy on Wednesday afternoon, March 24, 2010 as the result of an automobile accident.

Tom was born July 10, 1989 in Burlington, the son of Thomas R. Russell II and the late Nancy Lee Miller Russell.  On September 15, 2007 he married the former Michelle Pryor.

A devoted father and husband, Tom loved playing with his kids and X-Box.   Committed to the USMC and a strong desire to serve his country, he was planning on enlisting before the end of this year.

He is survived by his wife; Michelle Russell and their young children; Kolby and Sydney Russell.  His parents; His mother, Suzanne Kapusta, His father, Thomas Russell II and stepmother Nikki.  His in laws; Tina and Harold Adams.  His grandparents; Thomas and Valerie Russell, Linda Russell and Binti Miller.  His brothers and sisters; Brian Miller, Miranda Mock, Megan, Justin and Alicia Russell, Brandon Emmons and Hilary Kapusta.  Brothers in law; Mike Pryor and JR and Mandy Adams, Sister in law; Kristen and Jason White, extended family and several good friends including his best four legged friend, Amara.  He was predeceased by his mother; Nancy Lee Miller-Russell.

A Memorial Service will be held on Tuesday March 30, 2010 at 11 AM in the Minor Funeral Home, Route 7 in Milton.

Contributions may be made in Tom’s memory to an Education Fund to be set up for Kolby and Sydney in care of Suzanne Kapusta, 4 Arlington Street, Apartment 1, Essex Junction, VT  05452.

Online condolences may be made at www.minorfh.com