Others injured in 4-car crash
By Michael Donoghue
Vermont News First
BENNINGTON – A Bennington man is facing multiple criminal charges, including attempted murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and illegal possession of a firearm, following a shooting and subsequent four-vehicle crash in Bennington, officials said.
The reported shooter, Griford Saupin, 49, is under armed guard at Albany (N.Y.) Medical Center with injuries received in the crash at Park Street and Spring Street about 5:05 p.m. Saturday, police said. He will be extradited back to Vermont when discharged.
The driver of the car, a 38-year-old man had been shot, and was initially taken with a life-threatening injury to Southwestern Vermont Medical Center in Bennington, police said. He was eventually transferred to Albany Medical Center, which is a Trauma 1 treatment facility, police said.
Lt. Camillo Grande said four people were in a 2024 Subaru Crosstrek headed northbound on Park Street when it crashed into another vehicle after the driver was apparently wounded and may have lost consciousness.
Two other cars were struck during the chain-reaction crash with one of them ending up on its roof, police said.
By the time uniformed Bennington Police officers arrived, one passenger had fled the scene and remains on the run, Grande said Sunday evening.
The fourth person in the Subaru was transported to the Bennington hospital with serious, non-life-threatening injuries and later transferred to Albany Medical Center, police said.
The reason for the shooting remains under investigation, Grande said.
Bennington Rescue and Bennington Fire Department personnel arrived on scene and assisted with emergency medical treatment for the violent crash, police said.
The car was carrying two men and two women, Grande said.
Pownal Rescue and Arlington Rescue also assisted at the scene.
Bennington Police officers initially detained Saupin at the scene, but later sent him to the hospital with his crash injuries, Grande said.
Bennington Police investigators worked alongside Bennington County State’s Attorney’s office securing an arrest warrant for the charges for Saupin, Grande said. Saupin also is facing counts of reckless endangerment and criminal threatening, Grande said.
Albany, N.Y. Police investigators are assisting Bennington Police with instructions to take Saupin into custody once he is released from medical care.
A Vermont judge set bail at $100,000 for the extraditable warrant, Grande said.
The Vermont State Police also assisted with the incident.
Grande said officers are still investigating and potential witnesses are urged to contact Bennington Police at www.benningtonpolice.com or (802) 442-1030.
Vermont State Police reported on July 16 that they arrested Saupin after he had been involved in the reported theft of a motor vehicle and the stealing of some of its contents during an incident three weeks earlier on Vermont 9 in Woodford.
Trooper Kyle Stevens said Saupin also was wanted for operation without the owner’s consent and that he had been driving while his license had been criminally suspended from that case.
Tyler Davidson, 33, of Bennington was the victim, state police said.
Troopers responded to a reported motor vehicle theft in June in Woodford and through investigation it was determined Saupin was responsible, police said. He was eventually found and arrested, Stevens said.
Saupin was lodged at Marble Valley Correctional Facility in Rutland for lack of $50,000 bail on July 16. He was due in Vermont Superior Court in Bennington the following afternoon, but the outcome of that case was unknown on Sunday.
His reported accomplice, Marybeth H. Merriam, 39, of Shaftsbury was arrested the following day, state police said.
She was wanted for accessory in aiding in the commission of a felony and 3 counts of being an accessory after the fact, Stevens said.
Merriam was due in court on July 20, but her outcome also was unknown Sunday night.