By Michael Donoghue
Vermont News First
BURLINGTON — A wanted and possibly armed parolee, who dove into Lake Champlain in an unsuccessful effort to avoid his arrest on Friday, is drying out at the Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans Town, according to the Chittenden County Sheriff’s Department.
Tanner Hart, 32, of Burlington was picked up on a state parole warrant after the short swim and also was cited for a charge of resisting arrest, the sheriff’s department said. He is due in Vermont Superior Court on July 23.
Hart’s swim lasted from the U.S. Coast Guard Station to the Burlington Boathouse on lower College Street before he gave up to police.
The case began when Chittenden County Deputy Sheriff Tom Oliver spotted a man who appeared passed out near the municipal parking garage on South Winooski Avenue, Detective Paul McManus said.
Oliver went to the man’s aid, but he was uncooperative and eventually fled the area. Before the man fled Oliver spotted what appeared to be the handle of a handgun sticking out of a pocket, McManus said.
Oliver gave a short pursuit toward Church Street Marketplace, but the suspect got lost in the downtown crowd. Oliver returned to his duty station at the parking garage.
Chittenden County Sheriff Dan Gamelin, concerned about a wanted and impaired man possibly having a firearm in the Burlington Downtown area ordered his Street Crimes Unit to work the neighborhood on Friday to try to locate the suspect, McManus said.
Oliver used his body camera to secure a photo of the suspect and shared it with police. Investigators were able to identify the suspect as Hart, a former Richford resident, McManus said.
A plainclothes detective from the sheriff’s office arrived at Burlington City Hall Park to stake out the area, but Hart recognized him and fled the area. He was thought to have entered a nearby building, but was not located.
The Street Crime Unit also began to canvass the waterfront and a Burlington Police officer soon spotted Hart not far from the Coast Guard Station. The suspect jumped into the water and tried to swim away, but officers from both police agencies monitored his southbound swim and eventually Hart gave up about 1:30 p.m..
McManus said Friday evening no gun has been found, but Hart claimed it was not a real firearm. He said it was a lighter with a big handle.
The sheriff’s department processed Hart and then transported him to the St. Albans prison on the parole violation warrant, McManus said.
Jail records show Hart has nine cases, including six that are pending. He has been sentenced for the other three crimes, records show. Most of the charges involve thefts of some type.