BURLINGTON, Vt. — A man suspected of driving the wrong way on a Vermont interstate and causing a fiery crash that killed five teenagers has been charged with five counts of second-degree murder.
Police say 36-year-old Steven Bourgoin crashed into the teens’ car in Williston, then, while an officer was trying to pull one of the victims from the burning vehicle, Bourgoin allegedly stole the officer’s police cruiser before crashing it into at least seven other vehicles late Saturday night. He injured five others, though those injuries weren’t life-threatening, and he was ejected from the car upon collision.
Police on Tuesday served an arrest warrant on the hospitalized Bourgoin for use of the cruiser. On Thursday, the state filed five counts of second-degree murder against him in the deaths of Eli Brookens, 16, of Waterbury, Mary Harris and Cyrus Zschau, both 16, of Moretown, Liam Hale and Janie Cozzi, both 15, from Fayston.
Bourgoin is to be arraigned Friday in the hospital, where his condition has been upgraded from critical to good
Bourgoin has a criminal history in two other states that includes domestic violence and driving under the influence, Chittenden County State’s Attorney T.J. Donovan said.
