First in News with Troy Austin

11/13/2025

Burlington Police Department press release: On November 13, 2025, at 1342 hours, Burlington Police Officers were called to the area of Pearl Street at Park Street due to an unresponsive subject within a vehicle. Shortly after police arrival, the subject, identified as Kareem Lighty, a resident of Burlington, fled in the vehicle as he was being evaluated by members of the Burlington Fire Department. Additionally, a Burlington Fire Department member was within the suspect vehicle at the time of this occurrence. Officers and witnesses watched the vehicle turn in several varying directions, including the wrong way down a one-way on Park Street at a high rate of speed. The vehicle crashed on Park Street, and the subject was taken into custody. Criminal charges are being evaluated at this time. It should also be noted that a Burlington Police Officer was injured in this incident and is being medically evaluated. This is an ongoing investigation, and there will be more to follow.

11/13/2025

Press release: Burlington Police Department
On November 12th, 2025, at approximately 10:52 a.m., the Burlington Police were called to 80 Front Street for a report of a violent family disturbance.
Responding officers learned that Argenis Miguel Santana Gil, 26 years old from Providence, RI, had attempted to forcibly remove his girlfriend from her father’s home with the intention of transporting her back to the State of Rhode Island. Gil had carried the victim out of the home, where a bystander intervened, allowing the victim to escape back into the residence. Gil smashed his way back into the residence and threatened the family members present with a kitchen-style knife. Additionally, Gil assaulted a minor child and placed the family in grave fear of serious bodily injury or death while preventing them from calling 911.
Gil was arrested and lodged with the Department of Corrections. Gil was arraigned on charges of Aggravated Domestic Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Burglary, Unlawful Restraint, and Interference with Access to Emergency Services in Chittenden Superior Court – Criminal Division on November 13th, 2025. Gil was held without bail pending a weight of evidence hearing.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of domestic assault, there is support available. Even if the assault did not happen recently, there are resources to help you decide what is best for you, including medical treatment, advocacy, and support. For more information, call the statewide confidential hotline at (800) 228-7395 or visit the website for the Vermont Network Against Sexual and Domestic.

11/13/2025

Press release: Burlington Police Department
On November 12, 2025, at approximately 1:27 PM, the Burlington Police were called to a report of a neighbor threatening another with a knife at 45 Manhattan Drive. Officers were able to determine that there had been an ongoing dispute between tenants of the property leading up to this incident. Investigation showed that Mary Ellen Burke, 61 years old, had threatened her neighbors with a knife while making menacing statements. It was also determined that there was evidence of a mental health crisis underlying much of her behavior. Burke retreated into her apartment following the initial incident and subsequently refused to surrender to the police. Officers summoned the Howard Center Street Outreach Team and trained BPD crisis negotiators to the scene. All attempts to communicate with Burke were unsuccessful. The Emergency Response Unit was activated, and technology was deployed to enhance communication efforts, specifically a drone. Burke surrendered to the police without further incident at approximately 8:45 PM. Burke was arrested and lodged with the Department of Corrections. It is anticipated that Burke will be arraigned in Chittenden Superior Court – Criminal Division on the charge of aggravated assault later today.

11/04/2025

https://youtu.be/VCsrJmkIKGk?si=w9QxcvpxQtLUEY-_

The South Hero Volunteer Fire Department said the fire broke out just before 11 p.m. at a home on Tracy Road. The fire is believed to have started in the gar...

11/03/2025

Vermont State Police resume foot patrols in downtown Burlington on Church Street Marketplace.

11/03/2025

29 Tracy Rd South Hero: fully engulfed structure fire. Multiple fire departments,
including Alburgh Volunteer Fire Department , Grand Isle Volunteer Fire Department , South Hero Volunteer Fire Department , North Hero Volunteer Fire Dept. ., Milton Fire Department , Colchester Fire Department , and Isle Lamot, are responding. The American Red Cross is also on the scene.

11/03/2025

29 Tracey Rd South Hero: fully engulfed structure fire. Multiple fire departments, including Alburgh Volunteer Fire Department, Grand Isle Volunteer Fire Department, South Hero Volunteer Fire Department, North Hero Volunteer Fire Dept., Milton Fire Department, Colchester Fire Department, and Isle Lamot, are responding. The American Red Cross is also on the scene.

11/02/2025

PRESS RELEASE: On November 2, 2025, at approximately 10:30 hours, officers were dispatched to Battery Park for a reported assault. Dispatch advised that one of the males involved in the incident was reportedly in possession of a firearm. While officers were en route, Dispatch updated responding units that both subjects involved were in the lobby of the Burlington Police Department (Battery Park side), and that the male wearing a green shirt was observed holding a firearm. An officer arrived on scene and observed the male exiting the police department lobby while holding a firearm. The officer gave verbal commands for the male to drop the firearm, which he did. The male was identified as John Vanhazinga, age 48. Vanhazinga failed to comply with additional commands to get on the ground and instead backed up against the wall of the building. Another officer attempted to detain Vanhazinga, at which point he resisted efforts to be handcuffed. Officers issued warnings that OC spray would be deployed if he continued to resist. When Vanhazinga failed to comply, OC spray was deployed. Vanhazinga immediately complied and was secured in handcuffs without further incident. The investigation determined that the incident began as a verbal argument inside the band shell at Battery Park. Witnesses reported that Vanhazinga advanced toward the victim in an aggressive manner, acting like he wanted to fight, removing articles of clothing. Prior to the assault happening, Vanhazinga made a derogatory comment towards the victim. The derogatory statement was directed at the victim's protected class status. The victim attempted to retrieve a firearm from a backpack, at which point Vanhazinga took possession of the firearm and began striking the male in the head multiple times, causing him to fall to the ground. The victim got up and attempted to move to the other side of the band shell, but Vanhazinga followed him and again struck the victim in the head with the firearm. The Burlington Fire Department responded to the scene and transported the victim to the hospital for medical evaluation for a head injury. Vanhazinga was lodged on $1,000.00 bail and will appear in court on Monday, November 03, 2025, at 10:30 hours. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Burlington Police Department at (802) 658-2704.

10/25/2025

BREAKING NEWS: MISSING MIDDLEBURY STUDENT FOUND DEAD IN CORNWALL
Smith, a 21-year-old senior from Woodside, California, was last seen on campus on Friday and was reported missing on Sunday
An autopsy confirmed her identity on Friday. Police say Smith died by su***de.

10/22/2025

10/17/2025

⚠️TRAFFIC ADVISORY ⚠️
There will be a service in the chapel at Saint Michael's College for Fire Chief Sandy Ladd tomorrow.
Fire trucks should be in place by 11:00-11:30.
The service is at 1 pm.

There will be a parade of trucks leaving through the SMC fire entrance around 2 pm.

PLEASE BE PREPARED FOR EXTRA TRAFFIC IN THE AREA BY SAINT MICHAEL'S COLLEGE AND PLEASE BE PATIENT.
Colchester Police Department
Colchester Fire Department
Saint Michael's College Fire and Rescue