By VDC staff

Three separate incidents prompted Vermont State Police investigations, citations, and arrests this week, involving a road-rage dispute in Chittenden County, a drug-trafficking stop on Interstate 91, and a series of overnight vandalisms in the Northeast Kingdom.

Road-rage incident leads to citation

State police say they were notified of a verbal argument between two parties in Williston that escalated into a road-rage incident on Interstate 89 and continued onto Interstate 189. South Burlington Police located and stopped both vehicles.

Police cited Nestor Diaz Jr., 41, of Winooski. The other individuals involved were identified as Kenneth Labor, 58, of Burlington, and Tiffany Wilbur, 39, of Whiting. Diaz was issued a citation to appear in Chittenden County Superior Court, Criminal Division, on January 29, at 8:30 AM. No injuries were reported.

I-91 stop results in drug-trafficking charges

In an unrelated case on Interstate 91 in Westminster, a Vermont State Police trooper conducted a traffic stop after observing a motor-vehicle violation. Police said the passenger, Kenneth Piller, 48, of Los Angeles, was wanted on outstanding drug-related offenses.

The operator, Chantz Dudley, 21, of Springfield, MA, was also taken into custody. The vehicle was seized, and police obtained a search warrant. During the search, troopers located suspected crack cocaine and fentanyl.

Piller was transferred to the custody of Rutland City Police. Dudley was lodged at the Southern State Correctional Facility in lieu of $30,000 bail and issued a criminal citation. He is scheduled to appear in Vermont Superior Court, Windham Criminal Division, on November 21, at 12:30 PM to answer charges of cocaine possession (1 ounce or more), fentanyl trafficking, and transporting fentanyl into the state.

Series of rock-throwing vandalisms reported

State police are also investigating a series of overnight vandalisms reported the morning of November 19. The first call came at 7:43 AM from Glover Road in Barton, where a vehicle parked in a driveway had a window smashed by a rock.

Four similar incidents were then reported: two in the Village of Orleans, on Irasburg Street and Water Street, and three in Barton, on Church Street, High Street, and Glover Road. Newport City police also received reports of comparable vandalism the same day.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Vermont State Police Derby Barracks at 802-334-8881 or submit an anonymous tip at https://vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit.