Man jailed after chase
Toolbox
By Josh O'Gorman STAFF WRITER - Published: June 19, 2009
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — A Castleton man is in jail on charges he led police on a 20-mile high-speed chase across four towns.
Tracy A. Benoit, 34, pleaded innocent Wednesday in White River Junction District Court to misdemeanor charges of reckless or gross operation of a vehicle, attempting to elude police and driving with a suspended license. Judge Theresa DiMauro set Benoit's bail at $25,000 and he is being held in Springfield Prison.
According to affidavits filed with the court, around 9 p.m. Tuesday, State Police Sgt. Anthony French was monitoring traffic on Route 106 in Weathersfield when he clocked a southbound car driving 64 mph in a 50-mph zone. French activated his lights and siren to stop the car, records state, but the driver accelerated to 80 mph through the intersection with Route 131 and continued to North Springfield, records state.
It appears Benoit might have fled because there was a warrant for his arrest. March 17, records state, Benoit was charged with driving with a suspended license in Springfield, but he failed to appear for his May 19 arraignment and Judge DiMauro issued the warrant.
Benoit allegedly continued west on Route 10 to Chester and turned north on Route 103 to Ludlow, records state. During the pursuit, French wrote in his affidavit, Benoit drove between 90 mph and 100 mph in his 1999 Mercury Cougar, at times more than triple the posted speed limit.
Ludlow Police were waiting with a spike strip when Benoit blazed down Main Street at 80 mph in a 30-mph zone, records state. The spikes deflated French's tires, affidavits state, but other state troopers took up the pursuit. On Route 103, north of the intersection with Route 100, police encountered a pair of vehicles off the road, police said. One belonged to Benoit and was abandoned and the other belonged to a witness, who said he saw Benoit jump out of his car while it was still moving and run into the woods, affidavits state.
A K-9 unit took Benoit into custody and police found a syringe in his pocket, a spoon in his car and a single pill of Suboxone, a synthetic opiate, according to affidavits.
josh.ogorman@rutlandherald.com
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