A 20-year-old Newport man is dead following a motorcycle crash in Newport Monday, October 3.

The incident took place at the intersection of Vermont Route 100, and Collins Mill Road, at around 5:30 p.m. According to the report, Howard Collins, 81, of Newport Center, was headed south before slowing down to take a left turn.

Jordan Carpenter was traveling north and unable to stop, crashing into Collins’ car. In his report, Trooper Christopher Hein wrote that Carpenter “saw the hazard of a turning vehicle ahead of him and attempted to avoid a collision by braking.” Carpenter sustained fatal injuries.

State Police were assisted on the scene by members of the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, Vermont DMV Enforcement, Newport Center Fire Department, and Newport Ambulance. Anyone who may have witnessed this incident is asked to call 802-878-7111. (Republished from Newport Dispatch)

Carpenter’s death is at least Vermont’s ninth motorycle fatality in 2022. In 2021, there were 13 motorcyclist fatalities; in 2020, there were 10; in 2019 & ’18, there were 5 each year; in 2017, there were 11.

DUI #6 – A Sheffield man was arrested October 3 for his sixth DUI infraction, state police say.

At about 6:30 pm, state troopers were notified of an individual trespassing on private property in Wheelock. Troopers observed Paul Baillargeon (61) of Sheffield on the property seated in a motor vehicle. 

While speaking with Baillargeon, troopers observed several signs of alcohol impairment. Investigation revealed Baillargeon is required to operate a motor vehicle with an ignition interlock device, which the vehicle he admittedly drove did not have. Baillargeon was subsequently arrested for suspicion of DUI and Criminal DLS. 

He was later transported to the St. Johnsbury Barracks for processing, and released with a citation to appear at the Caledonia County Superior Court on October 24 to answer to the charge of DUI #6 and DLS.

High school van strikes moose on I-91 –Tuesday October 4 at about 3:30 pm, state troopers were dispatched to a reported motor vehicle crash involving a moose on Interstate 91 in Newbury. They discovered that the vehicle involved was a St. Johnsbury Academy transport van. No children were in the van at the time of the collision and the single occupant was transported for treatment of suspected minor injuries.