Two cars were involved in a head-on collision on Route 30 near the I-91 overpass bridge, in April. (Zachary P. Stephens/Reformer file photo)
Saturday June 23, 2012

BRATTLEBORO - New charges have been filed against the man accused of causing an accident resulting in serious injury along Route 30 in April. According to court documents, 32-year-old Dustin North, of Brattleboro, is charged with one felony count of reckless operation of a vehicle, one misdemeanor count of narcotic possession and two misdemeanor counts of violation of conditions.

North's prior charges include one felony count of driving under the influence and one felony count of gross negligence while operating a motor vehicle which results in serious bodily injury to a person other than the driver.

On April 25, police said North had been driving along Route 30 at a high rate of speed, cross the center line and at the same time police were dispatched to Route 30 at about 11:45 a.m. on April 25 for a report of motor vehicle accident with one victim trapped in a vehicle.

Several witnesses traveling south on Route 30 said they saw North's vehicle drive over the center line prior to the crash and at one point pass a vehicle at a high rate of speed.

Brattleboro Fire Department had to use the Jaws of Life to get the passenger in the vehicle hit head-on by the car North was driving, Joseph W. Chagnon, 64, of Brattleboro, out of the vehicle.

Once Chagnon was free he was transported via helicopter to UMass Medical Center in Worcester, Mass., with a broken femur and shoulder.

A patient advocate told police that Chagnon will need "significant

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long-term rehabilitation in an effort to regain the use of several parts of his body."

Following the April 25 accident, North pleaded not guilty to felony DUI and felony gross negligent operation of a vehicle. North was also cited for possession of a narcotic drug after police received a search warrant and seized prescription drugs.

Brattleboro Police Sgt. Mark Carignan wrote in the affidavit that following his release from custody, North returned to the scene of the accident and attempted to gain access to the car's trunk where he was denied.

After speaking with owner of the Audi and executing a search warrant, Carignan stated he found a black and gray backpack in the trunk. Inside the backpack was a metal contained that had 10 small pills, eight Xanax pills and two morphine pills.

With the new charges, if North is convicted, he could be facing up to an additional six years behind bars.

Josh Stilts can be reached at jstilts@reformer.com, or 802-254-2311 ext. 273.