By RUSSELL JONES
RUTLAND — The pickup truck belonging to Anthony Reynolds, a Pittsford man charged with allegedly hitting his girlfriend with his truck resulting in her death, caught fire in the police impound lot two weeks ago.
Reynolds is currently on house arrest at his father’s home near Newport and his truck was being held in the impound lot until his trial next year. The Vermont State Troopers detailed the fire in a press release last Thursday.
According to the release, on July 14, two vehicles, a BMW 328 and a Toyota Sienna, were towed to the Rutland State Police barracks impound lot following a serious motor vehicle crash on Vermont Route 22A in West Haven.
Shortly after it arrived at the lot, the BMW started to smoke and caught fire. The fire department was contacted, and troopers attempted to extinguish the blaze with fire extinguishers.
Two other vehicles in the impound lot, both of which were in close proximity to the BMW, also caught on fire due to the radiant heat from the BMW fire. Those other two vehicles were the Toyota Sienna, and a Dodge truck belonging to Reynolds.
Reynolds, 48, pleaded not guilty in May on six felony counts including involuntary manslaughter, first-degree aggravated domestic assault, second-degree aggravated domestic assault, grossly negligent driving with death resulting, and leaving the scene of an accident with death resulting after the death of Proctor resident Melanie Rooney.
Reynolds is facing up to 70 years in prison, if he is convicted of all the charges he faces.
The Vermont State Police Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit conducted an investigation and determined the fire originated from within the driver’s side engine compartment of the BMW. The police do not consider the fire to be suspicious.
