VSP: Waitsfield man threatened neighbor with gun

September 26, 2025  |  BY Eric Blaisdell  |  The Times Argus

BARRE — A Waitsfield man is accused of threatening his neighbor with a gun.

Rick Middleton, 43, has been charged in Washington County criminal court in Barre with a felony count of aggravated assault.

If convicted, Middleton faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

Middleton was supposed to be arraigned Monday, but it was stated in court that he was in the hospital with reported self-inflicted injuries. Washington County State’s Attorney Michelle Donnelly has filed a motion seeking to have Middleton held without bail while the case is pending. Judge Dan Richardson agreed Monday to have Middleton held. It’s unclear when he will be arraigned.

Trooper Kevin Charney, of the Vermont State Police, said in his affidavit threats were reported Sept. 19 in Waitsfield. Charney said the call reported Middleton, her neighbor in an apartment complex, had threatened her spouse with a gun.

The trooper said he called the woman who reported Middleton was playing loud music. He said the woman reported the music was so loud the building was shaking.

Charney said the witness reported her spouse then banged on their shared wall and told Middleton to turn the music down. He said the woman reported Middleton then threatened her spouse while outside the building while wearing a bulletproof vest and a holding a handgun “with a thirty-round clip in it.”

The trooper said the witness reported nothing happened between the two men and they both went back inside.

Charney said the witness had video footage of the incident, which showed Middleton pacing back and forth while wearing the vest and holding the gun.

The trooper said he then spoke with Middleton, who reported he had an argument with his neighbors over music. He said Middleton reported his neighbor exited the building while holding a gun behind his back, though Middleton was unsure what the gun looked like.

Charney said Middleton would not give a direct answer when asked if he possessed a gun during the incident.

The trooper said he again spoke with the victim, who denied possessing a gun during the argument.

Sgt. Brandon Doll, also of the state police, said in his affidavit after police determined Middleton would be cited for aggravated assault and taken into custody, Middleton locked police out of the home. Doll said police tried for about four hours to reestablish contact with Middleton, but he refused to answer the door or his cellphone.

He said Middleton’s romantic partner, Darcy Lee, later called 911 and reported Middleton had barricaded himself in the bathroom. Doll said Middleton had reportedly taken a large amount of Tylenol and needed to go to the hospital.

He said Middleton was taken to Central Vermont Medical Center for treatment. He said police then executed a search warrant on the home looking for the gun involved in the argument. He said Lee reported Middleton’s guns were in a locked safe. Doll said Lee was unable to articulate where the keys to the safe were. He said the fire department was called to open the safe, and two handguns and a long gun were seized.

Police said Lee, 43, has since been cited for accessory after the fact by assisting Middleton with avoiding arrest for several hours. She is scheduled to appear in court Oct. 30 to answer the charge.