Police updates: Berlin P.D. arrests two in Waterbury; 4-car crash on Rt. 100

January 20, 2026 | By Lisa Scagliotti

An ongoing police investigation from Berlin resulted in a large law enforcement presence in Waterbury late Friday afternoon, where two individuals wanted on criminal warrants in Vermont state court were arrested. 

A multitude of local officers converged at the Irving Oil gas station and convenience store on River Road near the Waterbury Ice Center. 

A pickup is prepped to be towed following arrests on River Road in Waterbury on Friday, Jan. 16. Photo by Gordon Miller

The activity attracted much attention from passersby and community members. Waterbury Roundabout received multiple messages from concerned individuals inquiring about the large contingent of law enforcement and whether it involved federal immigration enforcement personnel directed at the local business that includes a popular Mexican restaurant. 

No federal law enforcement was involved in this incident, police confirmed. The activity involved only local law enforcement who were pursuing two individuals from Berlin wanted on arrest warrants in Vermont state criminal court. 

As a result, police in the parking lot arrested Dwayne Herring, 54, and Jerrica Herring, 35, both of Berlin. A pickup truck that they used to travel to Waterbury was towed from the scene, police confirmed.  

The investigation to apprehend the Herrings began earlier in the week, according to Berlin Police Chief James Pontbriand. On Saturday, Jan. 10, Berlin officers saw the Herrings at the Maplefields on the Paine Turnpike in Berlin. Both had outstanding arrest warrants, police said. 

As the pair left the Berlin Maplefields, officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but Dwayne Herring did not stop. The officers did not pursue the vehicle due to safety concerns for officers and the public, the police report noted. The officers then went to the Herrings’ residence but failed to locate them. 

Investigators got a break on Friday as they conducted surveillance on the Herrings’ home, police said. 

In this case, the Berlin department sought assistance through the Central Vermont Emergency Response Unit, which is a collaborative effort among multiple law enforcement and emergency responders in the region. Chief Pontbriand explained in an email to the Waterbury Roundabout that several Washington County law enforcement agencies combine resources to form a regional emergency response team designed to handle high-risk warrants and critical incidents. Although the Vermont State Police often assist in these efforts, they may not always have staff available when needed, he explained. 

Berlin, Montpelier and Capitol police departments contribute personnel to this team, and they train together monthly, Pontbriand said. 

It was members of those departments that took part in Friday’s arrests. 

“The initial plan was to execute the arrest at the subject’s residence. Due to the inherent risks associated with an arrest in a residential setting — including potential access to weapons and the presence of unknown individuals — additional officers were staged as a precautionary measure,” Pontbriand said. 

But before officers were able to execute the warrant, their subjects left their residence, prompting the officers involved to change their plans. Police followed the Herrings to Waterbury, where they stopped at the Irving Oil gas station on River Road. Officers from the combined response unit conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle in the gas station parking lot, police said.  

Dwayne Herring was taken into custody and taken to the Berlin Police Department, where he was cited to appear in Washington Superior Court Criminal Division on Monday to answer to three warrants. Two were from Washington County for failure to appear on charges of eluding law enforcement, driving with a suspended license and violating conditions of release. Another warrant from Orange County was for failure to appear for driving with a suspended license and driving under the influence/drugs or both. His bail was $800, police said. 

Dwayne Herring received another citation with a March 5 court date to address additional warrants for attempting to elude and driving with a criminally suspended license twice, according to police. 

Jerrica Herring also was arrested and taken to the Berlin Police Department, where she was issued a citation to appear in Washington Superior Court Criminal Division on Monday to answer to two warrants, police said. One Washington County warrant was for failure to appear in court on a charge of giving false information to a police officer; another Orange County warrant involved charges for cocaine and narcotics possession, police said. Her bail was $200, according to the police report. 

Both individuals were released into the custody of a family member after their bail was posted, police noted. 

Following the operation, Chief Pontbriand extended his thanks to the partner agencies that participated in the effort, “for their assistance and for helping ensure this incident was resolved safely for all involved.” The contingent included EMS personnel from the Montpelier Fire Department, in the event that there was an injury or medical event, Pontbriand noted. 

Asked about a white SUV that was stopped to be towed on the Routes 2/100 bridge over the Winooski River near the River Road intersection at the time of this event, Pontbriant commented that there was no other vehicle involved in this incident. 

“To my knowledge, the only individuals involved were the two subjects of the arrest. Officers did not make contact with any other individuals at the scene, aside from briefly limiting access to the area while the arrest was conducted,” he said. 

No serious injuries in 4-car Rt. 100 crash 

A New Hampshire driver was cited for driving under the influence after crashing into three other vehicles on Vermont Rt. 100 in Waterbury Center on Sunday night, according to Vermont State Police. 

The crash happened near the intersection with North Lakeview Terrace just south of Cold Hollow Cider Mill, shortly after 7:30 p.m., according to Trooper Jae Farnum-Boylan.

The investigation determined that 54-year-old Dylan Lee Gamache of Lebanon, New Hampshire, was headed south on Rt. 100/ Waterbury-Stowe Road when he crossed over the center line, causing the multiple-vehicle crash.

Gamache’s Audi A4 collided with three northbound vehicles, according to police: a 2026 BMW X7 driven by Santiago Debrigard, 44, of Miramar, Florida; a 2021 Toyota Rav 4 driven by Hugh Ickrath, 61, of Manassas, Virginia; and a 2022 Ford F-150 pickup driven by 61-year-old Michael Brigati, of Hyde Park. 

The Audi had one passenger, police said, Laura Cardoso, 43, also of Miramar, Florida. 

All of the individuals involved were wearing seat belts, police said. Gamache and Brigati were not injured; Debrigard, Cardoso and Ickrath all had minor injuries and were taken to Central Vermont Medical Center, police said. 

Gamache’s vehicle was totaled and the other three vehicles all sustained just minor damage, according to the report. 

Police said that while speaking with troopers, Gamache displayed signs of impairment and was taken into custody for suspicion of DUI. He was transported to the state police Berlin barracks and issued a citation to appear in Washington Superior Court Criminal Division on Feb. 5, police said.