By Guy Page
A homeless man with a lengthy history of arrests is being held without bail after Burlington police say he assaulted a woman, threatened a firefighter with a hunting knife, and resisted arrest Friday evening on North Avenue near Gosse Court.
Police identified the suspect as Wayne M. Butchino III, 29.
According to Burlington police, firefighters witnessed Butchino violently assaulting a woman while young children were present. When the ranking firefighter intervened, Butchino allegedly threatened him with a large hunting-style knife.
A passing motorist stopped to assist, and the two men were able to restrain Butchino for more than two minutes until Burlington officers arrived.
Police said Butchino continued to resist officers during the arrest. Investigators recovered the knife at the scene.
He was ordered held without bail pending a July 20 arraignment and is expected to face charges including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, domestic assault in the presence of a child, and resisting arrest. Final charges will be determined by the Chittenden County State’s Attorney’s Office.
The latest arrest follows several previous encounters with law enforcement.
In January 2025, Vermont State Police accused Butchino of driving under the influence after a rollover crash on Interstate 89 in Milton that seriously injured his passenger, who was ejected from the vehicle. Police said Butchino fled the crash scene on foot before being located nearby. Troopers also discovered he had three active arrest warrants, including one alleging first-degree aggravated domestic assault with a weapon. He was later charged with DUI resulting in serious bodily injury, grossly negligent operation, and leaving the scene of an accident.
In June 2023, state police charged Butchino after a domestic disturbance in St. George. Investigators alleged he assaulted a family member in the presence of children, interfered with the victim’s attempt to call 911, and damaged a parked vehicle before fleeing the scene. He was charged with domestic assault, interfering with access to emergency services, and unlawful mischief.
Earlier, in April 2021, Butchino was arrested after state police alleged he poured gasoline on his former partner’s vehicle in Fletcher and set it on fire. He was charged with third-degree arson and held on $1,000 bail following that arrest.