Newport police have arrested a man after he allegedly crashed a stolen car into a house on Friday.
Jamie Bocash, 42, of Morrisville, was arrested and is facing charges of aggravated operation without the consent of owner, grossly negligent operation, and leaving the scene of an accident.
Police say they were dispatched to a residence on East Main Street for a report of a stolen vehicle on Friday at around noon. The vehicle’s owner and a witness told police they observed a man, later identified as Bocash, enter the vehicle and drive away at a high rate of speed.
The car eventually crashed into a house on Route 100 in Lowell at around 1:00 p.m.
Authorities located Bocash while he was allegedly in the process of fleeing the scene on foot. Police say he refused medical treatment and was taken into custody without incident.
Bocash is also accused of crashing the vehicle into another vehicle on the causeway and into guardrails on Highland Avenue prior to the crash on Route 100.
He was held over the weekend at the Northern State Correctional Facility in Newport on $25,000 bail. He is expected to be arraigned in Orleans County Criminal Court tomorrow.
In April, Bocash, then of Hardwick, pleaded innocent to retail theft, according to media reports.
Republished from Newport Dispatch
Categories: Crime
Journalists in this case and people of common sense use the word “stolen” to refer to a vehicle that was taken by someone who does not have legal permission to possess it. The State of Vermont refers to this CRIME as “operation without the consent of owner”. Maybe instead of obsessing about the antiquity of our recycling laws, it is the criminal statutes regarding STEALING a person’s wheels that need to be revised. If you steal $50,000 from someone’s bank account, it is not called “making an unauthorized withdrawal”. Stealing someone’s horse, the common conveyance of yesteryear would often earn you a place at the end of a rope. Maybe we can strive for some happy medium to actually provide some level of deterrence. Car thievery is getting out of control in Chittenden County. Maybe we rally just need a new State’s Attorney, you think?
Sure Rich–Except THIS happened in Orleans & Lamoille County but no matter..We in Vt. NEED a “Grand Theft Auto” law(s) & yesterday but our “Rep.’s” in the whorehouse-on-the-Winooski are occupied with more important matters, until THEIR car gets stolen maybe. And who PAYS for all the damage to the car & house? Think that thief will ever pay it back? Some “judge” will probably make him pay “restitution” at $15/month, or a dollar down & the chase is on..At 42 yrs. old this is not some “kid” who made a “mistake”..We NEED a Grand Theft law, if it’s YOUR car the ensuing hassle of replacement is endless, especially in today’s car market & inflation, thanks Brandon!