Wild high-speed car chase brings several charges
Toolbox
By Thatcher Moats TIMES ARGUS STAFF - Published: March 18, 2009
BARRE - An East Barre man pleaded innocent to five charges Monday after he allegedly led police on a high-speed chase during a night of drinking last weekend.
William J. Carslaw, 21, was charged with his second DUI offense, as well as driving with a suspended license, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, attempting to elude a police officer and refusing an alcohol test.
The charges are all misdemeanors and carry a combined jail sentence of up to nine years. Carslaw's bail was set at $1,500 during an arraignment hearing in Vermont District Court in Barre.
While operating a speed trap early Saturday morning, state police trooper James Fox said he clocked Carslaw driving 90 mph on Interstate 89 in Berlin.
Fox followed the swerving vehicle for about three miles at speeds ranging from 90 to 95 mph, he wrote in an affidavit. Carslaw slowed his vehicle down after Fox turned on his blue lights, Fox wrote. But when Fox switched on his siren, Carslaw sped back up and left the highway using Exit 5, police said.
When Carslaw's vehicle reached the bottom of the off ramp, it failed to yield to traffic, crossed the double yellow lines and almost went out of control, Fox stated.
As Carslaw regained control of the car, he sped up and passed three vehicles illegally, forcing one of them to the far right hand side of the road, Fox stated.
Carslaw was able to pull away from police on Route 64 even though Fox was driving over 100 mph, the affidavit states.
A Northfield police officer waited for Carslaw at the bottom of Route 64 near the intersection with Route 12.
Northfield police officer Brian Hoar had parked his car across the two eastbound lanes with his blue lights flashing. Hoar saw the vehicle coming toward him on Route 64 at an "extremely high rate of speed," and he reversed his car, afraid the vehicle would collide with his cruiser. Hoar said he saw the vehicle pass him in the westbound lane, run a stop sign and drive down Lover's Lane.
Hoar chased the car down Lover's Lane, where the 1994 Buick Century pulled over to the side of the dirt road. There were two occupants in the vehicle, police said - Carslaw and 25-year-old Todd Jones Jr.
Police handcuffed Carslaw and multiple officers arrived at the scene to assist Fox and Hoar, including two more state police troopers, a state police sergeant, another Northfield police officer and a sergeant from the Washington County Sheriff's Department.
Carslaw was combative and insulting during processing and swore at Fox repeatedly, according to an affidavit.
Fox stated that Carslaw had watery, bloodshot eyes, smelled of alcohol, was slurring his speech and stumbled while getting out of the vehicle. Carslaw began the field sobriety exercises, but stopped part way through and refused to continue, police said.
Carslaw told police that he drank about four beers and five "Jager bombs," court papers show.
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