State police report other deaths, death-related charges this week

The Vermont State Police is investigating the death of a man at the Bennington Police Department after he was arrested Thursday afternoon, March 23.

There is no indication that Bennington police used physical force on the man, whose name is being withheld pending further investigation and notification of relatives. He was one of three people taken into custody at about 3:50 p.m. as Bennington officers carried out a court-ordered search warrant related to a drug investigation at the Apple Valley Inn on U.S. Route 7 in Bennington. The subject was taken to the Bennington Police Department and placed in a holding cell, where he was discovered unresponsive at about 4:40 p.m.

Members of the police department provided emergency medical care and called first responders, but lifesaving efforts were unsuccessful, and the man was pronounced dead at 5:19 p.m. at the police station.

An autopsy will be conducted at the Vermont Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington to determine the cause and manner of death.

Death by suicide on train tracks – Ariel Cunningham, 26, of Waterbury, Connecticut, died March 17 of blunt force trauma to the head and neck, and the manner of death was determined to be suicide, state police said this week.

Police were notified at 7:55 pm that a person had been struck by a northbound Amtrak passenger train on the railroad tracks adjacent to the Waterbury – Stowe Amtrak Station. No passengers or Amtrak employees on the train were injured during the incident.

Woman arrested for selling fentanyl/tramadol, death resulting – On December 10th, 2021, the Vermont State Police found that Bryan Hawley of Sunderland had died from an accidental overdose of Fentanyl and Tramadol combination.  After a lengthy investigation, Amanda Morey, 35, of Bennington was arrested yesterday, March 23 for Selling or Dispensing a regulated drug to Bryan Hawley ultimately resulting in his death. Morey was released on conditions and scheduled to appear in Bennington County Criminal Court today, March 24th at 12:30 PM. 

Inmate dies – State police are investigating the Wednesday, March 22 death of a man who had been jailed at Southern State Correctional Facility in Springfield. 

Romeo Reome III, 53, of Brattleboro was found unresponsive in his cell after prison staff were alerted by Reome’s cellmate during a routine check at 2:39 a.m.. Prison staff provided emergency medical care and called first responders to the prison. Lifesaving efforts were unsuccessful, and Reome was pronounced dead at 3:19 a.m. 

Reome had numerous health problems and was treated early Tuesday morning at Springfield Hospital before being returned to the prison. Reome had been in custody since Aug. 15, 2022, on a sentence of 6-8 years for aggravated assault.

Man dead on side of road – Byron Camber, 27, of North Troy was found dead on the side of the road in Jay Tuesday evening, March 21. The 27-year-old victim was located at about 5:55 p.m. off the side of the road near the intersection of Gendron and Pine Grove roads. There were no immediate signs of trauma on the victim’s body. A toxicology report was ordered. 

Fatal crash – Peter Nichols, 77, of New Haven, succumbed at the University of Vermont Medical Center following a Thursday, March. 23 late afternoon crash in Ripton. 

A car driven on Rte. 125 operated by Peter Nichols was traveling eastbound, and crossed the center line and struck a westbound vehicle driven by Bruce Perlow, 46, of Middlebury, who was uninjured.