By Guy Page
William Mercer acted in self-defense when he stabbed Travis McGrath in a June 16 road rage incident in Jericho, the Chittenden County family court judge Megan Shafritz ruled December 15.
At the scene, state police cited Mercer, 20, of Bolton, for aggravated assault with a weapon on McGrath, 38, also of Bolton, as well as disorderly conduct and negligent operation. Several days later Mercer was formally charged with the assault crime by the Chittendent Couty State’s Attorney’s office. He was charged as a youthful offender, which sent the case into family court.
During this altercation Mercer stabbed McGrath several times in the abdomen and torso, police said. McGrath initially was transported to the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington by a family member and later by Richmond Rescue for what were determined to be serious, life-threatening injuries.
But Shifritz disagreed with police and the state’s attorney office: “Court finds self-defense was established by William and State did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that William was the aggressor in the encounter, that his belief he was in immediate danger of unlawful bodily harm was not reasonable, and that the amount of force used was unreasonable and not necessary to avoid the danger,” she said in the Dec. 15 ruling.
A copy of the dismissal order was sent to VDC by a family member. Family court is held in closed session. “To summarize the hearing, which was in family court, the judge determined that Mercer was threatened and then attacked by Travis McGrath during a road rage incident after William Mercer called 911,” Ryan Mercer said.