May 15
- Brandon Police Department (BPD) received multiple reports of cows blocking the roadway on Town Farm Road throughout the morning. When officers arrived, there were no cows in the road.
- A complaint was made after the fact to the Brandon Police Department concerning some damage to the complainant’s vehicle. The owner of the vehicle, who resides in Pittsford, was not sure where the damage occurred, but believed that it may have happened while she was at work at the Otter Valley Union High School in Brandon. Damage documented for insurance purposes.
- An out-of-state Trust Company called BPD requesting a welfare check on the son of one of their clients who lives in Brandon. The son had made worrisome comments to family members living out of state indicating that he wanted to harm himself. The responding officer made contact with the son, who indicated that he was fine and did not want to harm himself.
- An officer conducted a motor vehicle stop in Conant Square for a license plate cover which obscured the car’s registration, defective equipment, and having an obstructed windshield. It was subsequently determined that the operator, Stefanie Hill (44), of Rutland City (VT), was operating the vehicle without an ignition interlock device while having an ignition interlock restricted driver’s license. The operator was placed under arrest for Driving Without an Ignition Interlock Device on A Restricted Driver’s License. Ms. Hill was issued also issued a ticket for the equipment violation and released with a citation to appear before the Rutland Superior Court-Criminal Division on July 17, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. for arraignment.
- BPD attempted to stop a motor vehicle on Grove Street for speeding. The operator did not yield to the emergency blue lights and siren and drove into the town of Leicester, where the vehicle finally pulled over. The operator was subsequently issue tickets for having an unregistered motor vehicle, operating with a civilly suspended license, failure to obey an officer, and speeding.
May 16
- A property watch was conducted at Mallory’s Automotive on Forest Dale Road.
- BPD conducted foot patrol on Center Street.
- A resident of Forest Dale Road called BPD to report that he received a telephone call from a male who stated that he was from Publisher’s Clearing House and that the resident had won the lottery and a new car. The resident was advised that this was an ongoing scam and not to engage with the male should he call back.
- Burlington PD requested assistance from Brandon PD in serving a subpoena to a resident of Newton Road in Brandon. However, it was determined that the subject of the subpoena had not lived at that location for months and his current location was unknown.
- An alarm was activated at Neshobe Family Care on Court Drive but it was immediately determined to be an accidental alarm caused by an employee. No police response was necessary.
- A motor-vehicle stop was conducted on a car at the intersection of Town Farm Road and Forest Dale Road for having a rear license plate covered with a tinted piece of plastic. The operator, John Adams Jr., (30), of Rutland City (VT), was discovered to have an active arrest warrant for failure to appear in court out of Rutland County. Adams was subsequently taken into custody and transported to the Marble Valley Correctional Facility for lodging. Adams was also issued a ticket for his rear license plate violation.
- BPD assisted Brandon Fire Dept. by maintaining scene security and diverting traffic at the scene of a structure fire on Carver Street.
May 17
- BPD received a report of a domestic disturbance in the area of Park Village. No crime was committed. However, the caller was referred to resources that could help them relocate and to address the volatile relationship she was in.
- Brandon Police responded to the Heritage Family Credit Union on Franklin Street for a report of a woman trying to cash a fraudulent check at the drive-thru window. When the officer arrived on scene, he attempted to pull the vehicle over to conduct an investigatory stop, at which point the female suspect fled in a black SUV with a concealed rear license plate. A high-speed pursuit ensued from Brandon into the towns of Leicester, Salisbury, and finally Middlebury. Because the suspect driver was driving at speeds well over 100 miles per hour, was swerving in and out of oncoming traffic, and was generally endangering the public with her reckless driving, the officer discontinued the pursuit. A short time after the pursuit was terminated, it was reported that the operator of the vehicle crashed in Middlebury near the Addison County Transfer Station on Route 7. The operator was apprehended at the scene by Middlebury Police and the Addison County Sheriff’s Department, and it was later determined that the vehicle that she had been operating was stolen in the state of Maine. The driver was taken to the hospital to be medically cleared and then brought back to the Brandon Police Department for processing. During the course of the investigation, it was discovered that the driver of the stolen car, later identified as Tayva Murphy (21) (residence unknown), had an outstanding, non-extraditable warrant out of the state of Wisconsin for multiple crimes. The stolen vehicle was later searched and a significant number of stolen items were found inside that were from thefts from all over Vermont and outside of the state as well. As a result of the incident, Ms. Murphy was lodged at the Marble Valley Correctional Center in Rutland (VT) on $250,000 cash bail. Ms. Murphy is due in the Rutland County Superior Court-Criminal Division on May 18, 2023 at 12:30 p.m. for arraignment on the charges of False Personation, Identity Theft, False Pretense or Token, Forgery, Uttering a Forged Instrument, Excessive Speed, Eluding A Police Officer While Operating In a Grossly Negligent Manner, and Aggravated Operating Without Consent Of Owner. The suspect was also cited to appear in the Addison County Superior Court-Criminal Division for 17 counts of Possession of Stolen Property and is due to be arraigned on May 22, 2023.
- Brandon Police responded to a residence for a report of a suicidal male holding a knife to his neck. The responding officer was able to de-escalate the situation and convinced the male to drop the knife. The individual was later transported to the Rutland Regional Medical Center for a voluntary mental-health screening.
- BPD received a walk-in complaint of a late-reported hit-and-run motor-vehicle accident in the parking lot of Hannaford Supermarket. Upon further investigation, it was determined that no hit-and-run crash had occurred.
- A woman called to report that a suspicious vehicle was parked in her driveway on Grove Street. It was later determined that the car had broken down on the side of the roadway and the driver had called a friend to loan a trailer so that the car could be removed from the driveway.
- BPD received a report containing information that would assist the Vermont State Police with an ongoing juvenile investigation. The caller was referred to the appropriate agency.
- A report was received regarding acts of vandalism near the Brandon House of Pizza. The incident is under investigation.
- Concerned citizens called BPD to request a welfare check on a possibly suicidal male. It was later discovered that the male was undergoing a mental health evaluation at the hospital and was safe.
May 18
- No reported police activity
May 19
- A welfare check on two children was requested by a concerned citizen. The responding officers spoke with the children’s parent and determined that they were fine and in good health.
- BPD responded to a citizen dispute between two neighbors on Champlain Street. All of the parties were advised to cease and desist from further contact.
- A complaint was received about a parking violation on Center Street but no violation was observed by the responding officers.
- Foot patrol was conducted on Center Street.
- A woman called BPD to report a man in a car in the parking lot adjacent to her apartment on Conant Square was staring at her through her window.
- BPD received an anonymous call advising of drug activity occurring in an apartment in Brandon.
- Property watch conducted at a business on Union Street. The premises were determined to be secure.
- BPD responded to an untimely death at a residence on Richmond Road. The incident was investigated in conjunction with the Vermont Medical Examiner’s Office and the cause of death appeared to be natural.
- BPD received a report of suspicious activity on Brookdale Street. Investigation underway.
- Officers assisted a motorist with a disabled vehicle at the intersection of Arnold District Road and Grove Street.
- BPD received reports of a suspicious vehicle on Town Farm Road. Officers spoke with citizens and no suspicious activity was observed.
- BPD responded to reports of domestic disturbance on Furnace Road. No crimes were found to have occurred. Officers left the residence without incident.
