Editor’s Note: Police have no control over bail, or incarceration. Those matters are handled by the judicial system, including the judges, court clerks and the state attorney’s office.
By LAYLA KALINEN
Eagle Times Staff
Man arrested at boat ramp for driving under the influence
On Tuesday, July 2, 2024, at approximately 7:31 hours, Officer Singleton, Corporal Perkins, Officer Callahan and Officer Hauser were dispatched to the area of the Springfield Boat Landing, located off Charlestown Road in Springfield, Vermont, for the report of a subject who appeared to be intoxicated and had left the area in their vehicle.
The vehicle was parked at the gas pumps at the Circle K gas station, at 14 Missing Link Road, and the operator was identified as the defendant, Elijah Alexander.
After an investigation, Alexander was found to allegedly be operating his vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. Alexander was taken into custody without incident. After being processed, Alexander was issued a criminal citation to appear in the Windsor County Criminal Court on July 23, 2024, to answer the alleged charge of Driving Under the Influence.
Woman arrested on warrant
On Thursday, July 4, 2024, at about 8:15 p.m., the defendant, Cassandra Boardman, was in the Springfield Plaza and known to have an active in-state arrest warrant by law enforcement.
Boardman was taken into custody without incident and was transported to the Springfield Police Department for processing.
Boardman was issued a criminal citation to appear in Windsor County Criminal Court and answered to the charges on July 5, 2024, at 12:30 p.m.to answer to the charge of Arrest on an In-State Warrant. She was subsequently lodged at the Southern State Correctional Facility in lieu of $200 cash or surety bail.
Driver with suspended license issued citation
On Tuesday, July 9, 2024, at approximately 5:03 hours p.m., Nicholas Ragucci, was observed operating a vehicle on Clinton Street and was known by law enforcement to have a suspended license.
Officer Singleton conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and through a check of Ragucci’s license status confirmed that his Vermont driver’s license/privilege to drive was allegedly under criminal suspension.
Ragucci was issued a criminal citation to appear in Windsor County Criminal Court on Sept. 3, 2024, to answer the alleged charge of Criminal DLS.
Women discovered with stolen vehicle, drugs
On Thursday, July 11, 2024, at approximately 7:35 p.m. Officer Singleton and Lieutenant Deslauriers were dispatched to the Circle K gas station, located at 14 Missing Link Road for the report that two subjects were “nodding off” in a silver sedan with Massachusetts registration plates. Officer Franchi of the Weathersfield Police Department also responded to assist.
Upon the two officers’ arrival, the vehicle reportedly located parked in front of the Circle K. was identified as stolen out of the Boston, Massachusetts area. When Officer Singleton and Officer Franchi approached the vehicle and asked the subjects to exit the vehicle, they attempted to flee.
Unable to shift the vehicle into drive, while continuing to rev the engine they threatened to drive through police cruisers that had blocked the vehicle in.
After a brief altercation, the two individuals were removed from the vehicle and taken into custody and identified as Brandi Bragdon and Melissa Pelletier of the Boston, Massachusetts area.
During a consent search conducted on the vehicle, findings of drug paraphernalia including crack pipes, empty heroin bags, scales and hypodermic needles and an unknown white powdery substance that did not test positive for cocaine was seized and sent to the Vermont Forensic Laboratory for testing. A handbag from the vehicle was seized, pending a search warrant.
On July 16, 2024, a search warrant was granted and conducted on the seized handbag, resulting in the findings of cocaine.
Bragdon and Pelletier were issued criminal citations to appear in Windsor County Criminal Court on Sept. 10, 2024, to answer to the alleged charge of Possession of Stolen Property, Attempting to Elude and Possession of Cocaine.
Man arrested for operating car under the influence of drugs
On June 13, 2024, at approximately 5:03 p.m. Officer Singleton, Officer Callahan and Officer Freeman were dispatched to the area of the Riverside Middle School for the report of a vehicle that was being operated erratically.
The vehicle matching the description given by the caller was later located on Valley Street. Officers made contact with the operator of the vehicle and after an investigation including blood test results received from the Vermont Forensic Laboratory, it was found that the operator, and defendant, Joseph Higginbotham, was allegedly under the influence of drugs while operating his vehicle.
Higginbotham was later issued a criminal citation to appear in Windsor County Criminal Court on Sept. 10, 2024, to answer to the alleged charge of DUI Drugs.
After accident, woman arrested for cocaine
On Sunday, July 14, 2024, at approximately 9:39 p.m., Officer Callahan, Corporal Perkins, and Officer Guzzo responded to Charlestown Road at Paddock Road in Springfield, Vermont, for a single motor vehicle accident.
The vehicle turned over onto the roof landing in a ditch near Paddock Road, and operator, Jamie Zerba, self-extricated herself from the vehicle.
During the investigation, while Zerba was retrieving the requested documents from her wallet, Corporal Perkins observed what appeared to be a small silicone container that was stored within her wallet. Zerba admitted that the container contained drugs, resulting in her being taken into custody without incident.
A search of the container resulted in an arrest due to the discovery of suspected crack cocaine and Zerba was transported to the Springfield Police Department for processing and was released after being issued a criminal citation to appear in Windsor County Criminal Court on Sept. 4, 2024, at 8 a.m. to answer the charge of possession of crack cocaine.
