Winds light and variable. Get all of the latest news, weather, sports, and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! 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. Temps nearly steady in the mid 30s. Both vehicles had been travelling east shortly after 6 p.m. from Hoosick, N.Y., into Bennington. DEC: Anglers hoard panfish in catch and release area, Bennington restaurant closing after 16 years, Best athletic wear for kids joining baseball and, How to watch all the Oscar-nominated movies in style, Best smart home devices for older users, according, Crossgates Mall opening at noon due to weather, Chatham sinks game-winner to win section title, Duanesburg tops Hoosic Valley to win section title, Snow begins falling in Capital Region during latest, Projections show Social Security fund running dry, Judge rules against herbicide in Lake George, Retired racehorses rescue first responders, Gillibrand talks veteran aid in Glens Falls, NYSP: One dead in fatal industrial accident in Herkimer, 03/03/2023: Significant winter storm tonight, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Like us on Facebook. Chance of snow 70%.. At one point, Wright filmed a sheriffs deputy as he washed his car at a public car wash, asking the deputy how he paid for the wash. They are Trooper Paul Pennoyer and Sgt. He also told police he did not know Heck to be someone who would drink and drive, according to the reports. BENNINGTON, Vt. . After an attempt was made to locate Wright, an arrest warrant was issued. Updated: Feb 28, 2023 / 01:19 PM EST. The vehicle then struck two medium/large trees which caused significant contact damage to the front of the truck and tore the passenger side of the vehicle from the rest of the truck cab. 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. Low 29F. 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. Acknowledge that past and present inequities in the Bennington community often shape views that drive calls for change. Wright faces a maximum six-months in jail and a $250 fine, if convicted on the count. 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. Bennington Police Department executed their . Wright was released after pleading not guilty to the charge. The deceased is Elton Dowd, 19, of Fitchburg. Doucette said Wednesday that police came to believe that Heck deliberately struck Hagers truck prior to the crash. or the public information officer. Bennington Police Department leadership need to continue to emphasize and prioritize equally both the physical safety and mental well-being of officers and staff. 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. An employee at the building alerted police out of concern for a judge who was working in the building at the time. 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. 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. Feb 24. Please call the criminal court clerk to confirm arraignment time. MONTPELIER, Vt. The ACLU filed a lawsuit yesterday on behalf of John Chinnici, who was unlawfully arrested, interrogated, and searched by Bennington police after they repeatedly pressured multiple witnesses and suspects to name Mr. Chinnici as an accomplice in a January 2016 armed robbery, despite the fact that Mr. Chinnici did not match witness descriptions and no other evidence connected him to the crime. The body has since been transported to Vermonts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for an autopsy. After hours of Mayhew refusing to implicate Mr. Chinnici, BPD Chief Paul Doucette deviated from BPD policy and conducted an unrecorded and non-memorialized interview with Mayhew. 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. 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. State and local police, along with members of the Bureau of . Troopers report they found a Chevrolet Silverado with significant . After. Subscribe today. 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. Wright requested a court-appointed defense attorney, which was granted. 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. There needs to be acknowledgement and empathy shown to all regardless of position, race, religion, gender, or socio-economic standing. 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. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. Snow this morning will give way to lingering snow showers this afternoon. 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. 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. Lawsuit Challenges Rights Violations by Bennington Police Officials, ACLU of Vermont Staff Attorney Hillary Rich, : No one should be subjected to the dishonest and coercive tactics that John Chinnici experienced at the hands of Bennington police. Prosecution and punishment should be proportional to the offense alleged and should not vary by race, wealth or status of the defendant. Mr. Chinnici was prosecuted based on evidence arising from these unlawful actions, though his resulting conviction was eventually thrown out. The breaking branches were heard near a fence installed to channel deer or other wildlife to an underpass below the highway, thereby reducing the number who are struck by vehicles. Low 29F. 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.. Occasional snow showers. Snow this morning will transition to snow showers this afternoon. 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. ACLU of Vermont Legal Director Lia Ernst: Mr. The Oscars will air on ABC and can be streamed on ABC.com and the ABC app as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV or FuboTV. Police say there is no danger to the public, and no one has been reported injured. Don't miss the big stories. They said they attempted to call a possible contact for Heck but did not receive an immediate call back. . I stand by the actions of the officers.. 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. ign up to be in the camp is usually in April or May until filled. Low 29F. Smith & Wesson handgun, and said a conceal carry gun permit from the state of Florida was inside the wallet. 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. 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. Nobody was hurt during this investigation and it is believed at this time there is no threat to the public. ACLU of Vermont Staff Attorney Hillary Rich: No one should be subjected to the dishonest and coercive tactics that John Chinnici experienced at the hands of Bennington police. 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. by: Courtney Ward. Follow 21K. Temps nearly steady in the mid 30s. Press Releases. Tiffany Tan reported for the Bennington Banner from November 2018 to September 2021, with a focus on police and court stories. Subscribe today. 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. Vermont News. The drivers name was known because his wallet had been found at the scene, so he might be located later, Doucette said, and police were concerned that Heck might be intoxicated and carrying a gun after one was found in his pickup. Temps nearly steady in the mid 30s. Press Releases; Top Stories. 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 , . Police investigate an area of the Walloomsac River pathway in Bennington on Monday. 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. On that Sunday, police also reported speaking with Bombard, owner of the Man of Kent. Please note news releases are available on this blog for 30 days following their public release. The illegally obtained evidence was then used against Mr. Chinnici at trial. Superhero 5K - November, 2022. . Vermont State Police have arrested two people in connection with stolen firearms from a Waterbury gun shop. Hager told police Heck then began to apply his brakes, and slowed to about 25 miles per hour. BENNINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - A suspect is on the run after a shooting in Bennington and police say he is considered armed and dangerous. BPD continued pushing Mayhew to incriminate Mr. Chinnici, ignoring Mayhews invocation of Miranda rights and promising him leniency. 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. 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. Officers searching the night of the crash with a K-9 unit reported hearing branches breaking in the woods near a 10-foot wildlife fence and called out, saying, Bennington Police K-9 unit. Members of the Bennington community need to be clear in their expectations for the police department. BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - Let's take a look at what to do this Saturday. . 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. Winds light and variable. However, as communities, elected officials, appointed officials and the Bennington Police Department are developing new and innovative approaches to public safety, the focus should expand beyond just policies and procedures to include both the broader criminal justice and public health ecosystems: Maximize available, thoughtful resources, similar to the process for recommendations from the Commission of Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice. The Vermont State Police disseminates news releases for significant criminal or public safety incidents and arrests.