Police say five people are dead after a wrong-way driver caused several dramatic crashes on I-89 in Williston around midnight Sunday.
The crashes came after police say 911 dispatchers received reports of a driver traveling in a pick-up truck northbound in the southbound lane. The driver, later identified as Steven D. Bourgoin, 36, collided with another vehicle.
The Williston Police Department was the first to arrive, and saw a two vehicle crash with one of the vehicles on fire in the median. Police say five people died in that crash.
As police assisted the victims in the burning vehicle and put out the fire, Bourgoin exited his truck at the scene and stole a Williston police cruiser.
Bourgoin headed south toward Richmond, where he encountered a Richmond police officer and turned around on the interstate. Bourgoin then traveled northbound in the southbound lane back towards the original crash scene, striking seven vehicles.
Police say there were multiple injuries as a result of the second crash. The victims of the second crash, who police say will be identified at a later date, were transported to University of Vermont Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.
Police say Bourgoin was taken into custody and transported to the University of Vermont Medical Center, also with non-life threatening injuries.
Update: Sunday, Oct 9, 9:41 a.m.: I-89 has been reopened to traffic in both directions.
Update: Sunday, Oct 9, 1:16 p.m.: According to an email from the Washington West Supervisory Union (SU42) school district, four of the five people killed were Harwood High School students. According to the school district, the fifth victim was a teen who attended another school.
