Following an overdose, eight people were arrested in a drug raid in Bennington Thursday, July 14.

Police say they executed a search warrant at an apartment on Beech Street following an overdose death at around 12 p.m..

The apartment was occupied by John Farquharson, 57, of Bennington, Joshua Acosta, 20, of Springfield, MA, Angeliz Matos, 20 of Holyoke, MA, Christopher Arroyo-Cruz-18 of Springfield, MA, Brittany Pecor-22 of Bennington, VT, Tafana Sousis, 28, of Bennington, Heather Farley, 40, of Bennington, and a juvenile of Holyoke, MA. Police say all were taken into custody.

Police located 3 handguns, 1 having no serial number, 59 grams of crack cocaine, 265 baggies of suspected heroin/fentanyl, $6,590 in US currency.

Throughout the investigation, police also allege that Arroyo-Cruz, Acosta, and the juvenile were accused of aggravated assault. Arroyo-Cruz, Acosta, and the juvenile were all held without bail at the Marble Valley Regional Correctional Facility.

Matos was held on $100,000 bail at Marble Valley Regional Correctional Facility. Pecor was held on $5,000 bail at Marble Valley Regional Correctional Facility.

Wanted man wanted arrested for speeding, attempting to elude police – A 52-year-old man was arrested following an incident in Sutton last month.

State police say Wesley Kidder, of Sutton, is charged with attempting to elude police, gross negligent operation, and leaving the scene of an accident.

On June 19, troopers were attempting to locate Kidder to arrest him on active arrest warrants. Several days earlier, Kidder was arrested for allegedly entering a Coventry home without permission and assaulting an occupant. 

Police spotted him while he was traveling south on Route 5 in Sutton at speeds of over 80 miles-per-hour.

Police attempted to stop Kidder but he did not yield. A few minutes later he crashed in the Village of West Burke, a short distance from where he was last seen.

He fled on foot and was later apprehended at a home in Sutton.

A 52-year-old woman passenger in the vehicle sustained significant injuries as a result of the crash and was eventually taken to DHMC.

Kidder was lodged at the Northeast Regional Correctional Center for the previous charges.

Republished from the Newport Dispatch, an online daily news publication.