by Mike Donoghue
BURLINGTON — A St. Albans man, who authorities said steals vehicles and almost killed three law enforcement officers by driving a truck at two of their cruisers last week and dragging a Colchester police officer in an earlier case, was arrested by federal authorities in Burlington on Monday.
Andrew Brace, 39, of St. Albans, who has had multiple confrontations with police in six counties over the past few weeks, was located in a parking lot in Burlington, officials said.
The U.S. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and its Chittenden County Gun Violence Task Force had led the manhunt in recent days.
There had been various tips and sightings in recent days and it came to a head when he was located in a parking lot near the McKenzie House on Elmwood Avenue, just north of the Federal Courthouse.
Brace, who was found in a car possibly stolen from a South Burlington dealership, did not go peacefully, officials said. Even after he was placed in handcuffs and shackles, Brace tried to flee, but never got free, arresting agents said.
Also assisting were game wardens from Vermont Fish and Wildlife, inspectors from the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles and officers from Burlington and South Burlington Police.
Brace was lodged at the Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans Town late Monday afternoon.
Police in Chittenden County and Central Vermont report that officers have been dispatched in recent weeks to incidents where Brace and a companion were believed to have passed out. Both those incidents later caused flights from police in stolen vehicles, records show.
Brace is facing multiple state charges of aggravated assault with deadly weapons, criminal threatening, vehicle operation without the owner’s consent, eluding police in a negligent manner, leaving the scene of an accident and petty larceny, the marshals service said.
He also is facing a charge of being a habitual offender that was filed last week by the Franklin County State’s Attorney’s Office. The habitual charge gives a state judge the ability to impose up to a life sentence for Brace’s next felony conviction.
Franklin County prosecutors took the case extra seriously after Brace reportedly drove a stolen Ford F-250 truck at both Patrol Sgt. Christian Hunt and Trooper Seth Boudreau, who had to take life-saving evasive actions to avoid head-on crashes during a pursuit that began in Grand Isle County last week. The chase went through at least three counties during the day with a couple of vehicles reportedly stolen by Brace, who eventually ditched the final truck in Winooski, officials said.
Franklin County prosecutors obtained an arrest warrant for Brace and a state judge agreed with a request that the defendant be held without bail when caught. Brace could be arraigned on the Franklin County charges as early on Tuesday afternoon.
It will now be up to state’s attorneys in the other counties — Chittenden, Grand Isle, Washington, Orange and Addison – to sort out who else wants to help take the lead in prosecuting Brace.
Brace also could face a possible felony charges in federal court, officials said.
A woman found with Brace when he was arrested was released without criminal charges. The investigation is continuing.