CHESTER, Vt. — A man who allegedly drove his vehicle into a tree while under the influence of drugs appeared in court earlier this month to face DUI charges.
Wayne Johnson, 47, of Chester, Vermont, was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of drugs.
According to a release by the Chester Police Department, officers responded to a report of a vehicle that hit a tree on Snell Road at Mattson Road on Oct. 11. When officers arrived, they reportedly found Johnson unconscious behind the wheel of a Mazda that was against a tree with front end damage.
Officer Michael Randzio is a part-time police officer and also the chief of the Chester Ambulance Service, and provided first aid to Johnson. He regained consciousness as the ambulance personnel arrived.
Officer Lee Herrington led the investigation into whether Johnson was driving under the influence, and was assisted by Sgt. Rick King of the Windsor County Sheriff’s Department, who is a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE). The investigation included “specialized evaluation of drivers suspected of being under the influence of drugs,” leading to Johnson’s arrest on Dec. 30. Johnson was cited on Jan. 2 for the charge on Jan. 3.
A message was left with Chief Thomas Williams but not returned by deadline.
—BOB MARTIN, Eagle Times Staff