There are now two reported deaths related to the July 10-11 flood. Both occurred in Caledonia County as floodwaters overwhelmed Northeast Kingdom roads. 

Vermont State Police say Dylan Kempton of Peacham was found deceased in South Peacham Brook around midnight July 10, about 1/8 mile downstream from where his utility terrain vehicle (UTV) was discovered overturned in the water, the Newport Dispatch reports.

Police responded to the area near Governor Mattocks Road and County Road at approximately 10:35 p.m. Wednesday after reports of a vehicle falling into the brook. The driver of that vehicle was rescued unharmed.

While examining the scene, emergency crews noticed Kempton’s overturned UTV in the water. A portion of the road had collapsed due to the flooding.

Investigators learned Kempton had driven his UTV to Peacham Corners earlier in the evening. On his return journey, a culvert breach caused water to rush over the road, sweeping away his vehicle.

The incident occurred during heavy rainfall that caused South Peacham Brook to run extremely high. Kempton’s body was recovered early Thursday morning and will be transported to the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington for an autopsy.

Also, the Caledonian-Record reported yesterday that John Rice, 72, of Concord died in Lyndon Thursday morning after 11 AM when the car he was driving on Center Street was swept away by the Passumpsic River. Rice reportedly was trying to pass a closed road overtaken by the river.

Bystander Michael Smart said he and another person waved at Rice in an effort to stop him. They saw his vehicle pulled into the river. “There was nothing we could do,” Smart reportedly said. “He was already out there and the current took him.”