Two St. Johnsbury women were killed and two men were injured in a single-vehicle crash on Interstate 91 southbound near mile marker 118 in Barnet on Saturday, March 9.

At about 1 PM, Vermont State Police were dispatched to the scene, where a vehicle had reportedly left the roadway, struck a tree, and rolled over.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the 2015 Nissan Versa had veered off the west side of the roadway for unknown reasons before colliding with a large tree and overturning.

Jessica Norrie, 27, and Bryana Gillis, 28, both of St. Johnsbury, were found dead inside the vehicle.

Christian Montandon, 44, of Bradford, and Richard Kendall III, 29, of St. Johnsbury, managed to exit the vehicle. Montandon was transported to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center with severe injuries, while Kendall was taken to Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital with minor injuries.

Sugarhouse robbery – The Vermont State Police are investigating a burglary that occurred sometime Saturday night at a sugarhouse on Route 16 in Barton.

The break-in was reported at about 7:13 AM Sunday. According to the victim, Gerald Fortin, 53, of Orleans, an unknown person or persons broke into the sugarhouse and stole an Everstart battery charger, two Makita cordless impact drivers, a Makita cordless drill, a Makita cordless circular saw, a Dewalt cordless framing nail gun, a Skil saw, a jet sled, and a quart of maple syrup.

Anyone with information about the burglary, the identity of those responsible or the location of the stolen items is asked to contact the Derby Barracks at 802-334-8881.

Barre sex offender dies in prison – The Vermont Department of Corrections announced the death of Sean Osterhout, a 43-year-old incarcerated man from Barre, at the Tallahatchie County Correctional Facility (TCCF) in Mississippi on Thursday, March 9.

Osterhout was found unresponsive in his cell at 2:06 a.m. TCCF staff initiated life-saving measures and called for emergency medical services (EMS). Despite efforts, including CPR, Osterhout was pronounced dead by EMS at 2:38 a.m.

In accordance with state law and protocol, the Department notified the Defender General’s Prisoners’ Rights Office of the death. The DOC Corrections Investigative Unit will also conduct a comprehensive administrative review as per departmental policy.

Osterhout had been incarcerated since 2019, serving a 14 to 30-year sentence on two charges of Lewd and Lascivious conduct with a Child. He was housed at TCCF due to lack of space in Vermont correctional facilities.

The Department of Corrections houses a small number of sentenced individuals at TCCF, where staff are contractually obliged to follow Vermont Department of Corrections policy.

Man with 3 pounds of meth sentenced by feds – Quenton Dodson, 36, originally from Ypsilanti, Michigan, was sentenced March 7 in federal court in Vermont to 96 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a four-year term of supervised release. Dodson previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, as well as being a felon in possession of firearms. 

According to court records, after serving almost eight years in a Michigan prison and another year on parole in connection with previously shooting three individuals in a dispute over drugs, Dodson  came to Vermont in 2021 to sell methamphetamine and fentanyl. 

In late 2021 and early 2022, the  Burlington Police Department conducted a series of controlled purchases of drugs from Dodson  and, in January 2022, obtained warrants to search not only Dodson’s Farrell Street apartment, but  also the Ledgewood Circle apartment of a woman suspected of working with Dodson. 

In Dodson’s  Farrell Street apartment police found more than $10,000 in cash (including some of the bills used  in one of the controlled buys), about 20 grams of fentanyl, about 65 grams of methamphetamine, about 20 grams of cocaine, and a loaded handgun. In the Ledgewood Circle apartment, police  found almost three pounds of methamphetamine (some of which was contained in a plastic bag  bearing Dodson’s fingerprint), as well as another loaded handgun. 

United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest observed: “This case demonstrates that Vermont should  not be perceived as a friendly destination for those preying on the addictions of others. We are  grateful that the Burlington Police Department, in collaboration with the United States Bureau of  Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, as well as the United States Drug Enforcement  Administration, were able to intervene in Dodson’s criminal activity before either of the loaded  firearms he possessed in connection with his drug dealing were fired.” 

Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad added: “The Burlington Police Department believes in using a  multi-faceted approach to address the scourge of drugs in our community, from treatment and  succor for those with substance-use disorder to prosecution and prison for those who peddle  poison. I’m proud of our detective team’s work and I’m immensely grateful for our federal 

partners. This case shows our collective resolve to ensure accountability for traffickers who prey  on the suffering of others and harm our community in the process.”