Multiple domestic assault, DUI’s reported
by Daniel Duric, for the Newport Dispatch
Search teams in Walpole, New Hampshire, located a body in the Connecticut River in Bellows Falls on Monday believed to be that of a missing Vermont man.
The body is believed to be Phineas Tillman, 24, of Grafton, according to Vermont State Police.
Search teams found the body at about 1 p.m. Monday.
New Hampshire authorities will conduct a death investigation, including an autopsy to confirm identity and determine cause and manner of death.
There are no indications the death is suspicious, police said.
The Vermont State Police began investigating Tillman’s disappearance at about 5:55 p.m. Sunday after receiving a report that he had left home in Grafton and the caller was concerned for his welfare.
Initial investigation led police to Bridge Street in Bellows Falls, where further evidence indicated Tillman might have entered the Connecticut River.
Search assets included the Vermont State Police’s Field Force Division and Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program, along with multiple other agencies in Vermont and New Hampshire.
The Connecticut River lies entirely within New Hampshire, and search efforts on the water were led by teams from that state in coordination with Vermont State Police.
Domestic assault arrests:
Vermont State Police made two arrests this week in separate domestic-related incidents. In St. Johnsbury, troopers responded to a report of a domestic assault on Mt. Pisgah Road early Tuesday morning. In a separate incident in Waterbury, an alleged dispute escalated to the use of a weapon, prompting another arrest.
- Dylan Niles, 21, of St. Johnsbury, was arrested Jan. 13 at about 6:32 a.m. after police said he assaulted a household member. He was taken into custody without incident and later released on conditions from Caledonia County Criminal Court.
- Jason Siegel, 51, of Waterbury, was arrested after police said he approached Justin Murray, 30, also of Waterbury, with an axe during a reported citizen dispute, causing Murray to fear serious bodily injury. Murray reportedly disarmed Siegel, who was then arrested and transported to the Berlin Barracks for processing.
DUI arrests:
State and local police reported multiple DUI-related arrests across Vermont on Jan. 12–13 following traffic stops, crashes, and citizen complaints of impaired driving. Several cases involved drugs, license violations, or additional charges.
- Charles G. Bolte, 52, of Brattleboro, was arrested following a single-vehicle crash near Exit 2 in Brattleboro. Police said he left the scene and was later located on Western Avenue. Bolte was charged with DUI-Drugs, violating conditions of release, leaving the scene of an accident, driving with a criminally suspended license, and possession of fentanyl.
- Tessie Marsh, 38, of Rutland, was arrested Jan. 13 after a traffic stop in Rutland where troopers observed signs of impairment. She was released with a citation to appear in Rutland County Superior Court.
- Timothy Cassidy, 31, of Swanton, was arrested Jan. 12 following a report of a possible impaired driver. Police said the vehicle displayed a stolen license plate and that Cassidy resisted arrest. He was processed for DUI and released on a citation.
- Patrick Joseph Kossmann, 27, of Greenlawn, New York, was arrested after a traffic stop on Route 7 in Shaftsbury, where troopers reported observing multiple indicators of impairment. He was issued a criminal citation and released.
- Allen Locke, 48, of Richford, was arrested following an ATV crash on Main Street in Richford. Police said he showed signs of impairment and was later cited for DUI refusal and driving with a criminally suspended license.
- Zoe Fackelman, 65, of Canandaigua, New York, was arrested Jan. 13 after a traffic stop in Rutland for an observed violation. Troopers reported indicators of impairment, and she was released with a citation.
- Richard Chamberlin, 42, of Woodsville, New Hampshire, was arrested by St. Johnsbury police after being stopped on Railroad Street for operating without headlights. Police said he was impaired by substances other than alcohol and issued a citation to appear in Caledonia Superior Court on April 27.
All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.