Car crash with tractor on Rt. 100 seriously injures Duxbury man

April 22, 2024 | By Lisa Scagliotti

A crash on Vermont Route 100 in Duxbury last week between a car and a tractor sent a local man to the hospital and resulted in multiple charges including drunk driving and assault for the driver of the car involved, according to Vermont State Police.

The incident happened on Wednesday, April 17, making it the second serious crash along that stretch of road in a week. On Thursday, April 11, a 39-year-old Waitsfield woman died in a head-on collision with a tractor-trailer just south of Harwood Union Middle/High School. 

Right around 5 p.m. both Maurice “Mo” Lavanway, 68, of Duxbury, and 24-year-old Harley A. Porter of Barre, were both traveling south on Rt. 100. Porter was driving a white BMW 32i sedan behind Lavanway, who was operating a Kubota tractor, according to Vermont State Police. 

Porter’s car crashed into the tractor as it was turning left into Lavanway Road, police said. Porter was not injured and she did not have any passengers in the car, Sgt. Tylor Rancourt said in an email to Waterbury Roundabout. 

Waterbury Fire Department, Waterbury Ambulance Service and Barre Town Ambulance responded, arriving before police. When troopers arrived, they said they found Porter “screaming at fire and EMS personnel.” 

Rancourt said that Porter’s “violent and tumultuous behavior towards fire and EMS crew” resulted in the disorderly conduct charge. “The assault occurred when Porter spit on Troopers John Gildea and Jacob Fox,” he added. 

During interactions with Porter, police said they observed that she appeared impaired, and she was taken into custody on suspicion of driving under the influence. She was processed at the Berlin barracks and issued citations to appear in court on Thursday to answer to multiple charges, police said. She was lodged at the Chittenden Regional Correctional Center in South Burlington with bail set at $1,000, police noted. 

Lavanway was taken to UVM Medical Center with serious injuries and remained there until late Friday, according to family.

Both the vehicle and the tractor were heavily damaged, police said.

On Thursday, Porter appeared in Washington County Superior Court for an arraignment on felony charges of driving under the influence with serious injury resulting, and gross negligent operation resulting in serious bodily injury. Both of those charges carry potential sentences of 15 years in prison each and possible fines totaling up to $20,000, according to court documents.

Porter was charged with three misdemeanor offenses as well: reckless or gross negligent vehicle operation, assault on a protected professional, and disorderly conduct, court records show. Those charges combined carry a potential additional three years and fines of up to $6,500, according to the charging documents. 

In an affidavit filed with the court, Trooper Fox described the accident scene and subsequent interactions with Porter at the Berlin barracks. He said Porter was “screaming and swearing” and “uncooperative” at the scene and with police who tried to evaluate her for intoxication. Fox wrote that Porter described having had alcohol and marijuana earlier in the day.  

At the Berlin police barracks, Porter struggled with police as they put her in a holding cell, Fox wrote. He described Porter spitting on Trooper Gildea during that interaction. 

A third officer, Trooper Shawn Morrow, went to UVM Medical Center to speak with Lavanway, Fox said. Morrow described Lavanway as having had injuries to his head, neck and right hip. Lavanway told police he was arriving home from Waterbury, traveling about 8 mph at the time of the crash, according to court records. He had his left turn signal on, Fox wrote. “He said he looked over his shoulder and no one was coming. As he turned, he was struck and knocked unconscious for approximately three minutes,” Fox stated. 

Rancourt also filed an affidavit with the court saying he spoke with several other motorists at the scene of the crash who said Porter’s white sedan had passed them driving erratically and at a high rate of speed. 

Rancourt also described how while he was waiting for a tow truck to arrive, a man approached him saying he was the owner of the BMW involved in the crash and that Porter was his girlfriend. Todd Rushlow told police that Porter dropped him off at his work in Warren that morning and he was expecting her to pick him up. Rancourt wrote that Rushlow explained that when Porter did not show up and didn’t answer her phone, he got another ride and they came upon the crash. 

“Rushlow did not know why Porter was coming south on VT Route 100. He believed she should have been coming from Barre,” Rancourt wrote in his statement to the court. 

According to court records, Porter was released with several conditions: that she is prohibited from driving; that she not buy, have or consume alcohol; and that she is to avoid all contact with Lavanway.