by VDC staff

A 35-year-old Burke man driving a FedEx truck was killed Thursday night in a crash on Interstate 89 in Hartford that Vermont State Police say was caused by an impaired driver.

The crash occurred at about 8:15 p.m. on April 9 near mile marker 4.3 on I-89 south in Hartford. According to police, a 2006 BMW 750i driven by Gabriel Vestal, 19, of Rochester, New Hampshire, collided with a 2026 Kenworth T680 truck operated by Andrew Pott, 35, of Burke.

Pott, a FedEx driver, was pronounced dead at the scene. He had been wearing a seat belt, police said.

Vestal, who was also wearing a seat belt, was transported to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center with what were described as suspected minor injuries.

Preliminary investigation indicates Vestal was at fault in the crash. Troopers reported observing signs of impairment and determined that Vestal had been operating under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

He was cited and released to appear in Windsor County Superior Court, Criminal Division, on a charge of driving under the influence. Vestal is scheduled to be arraigned on June 2 at 8:30 a.m..

The crash remains under investigation.

Multiple agencies assisted at the scene, including Vermont State Police crash reconstruction teams, Hartford police and fire departments, the Vermont Agency of Transportation, Windsor County Sheriff’s Department, and local towing services.