STATE OF
VERMONT
DEPARTMENT OF
PUBLIC SAFETY
VERMONT STATE
POLICE
CASE#:
25A5000762
RANK/TROOPER
FULL NAME: Sgt. Daniel Lynch, Trooper Jesse Nash, Trooper Keith Cote (VSP
Williston)
STATION: Derby
Barracks
CONTACT#: 802-334-8881
DATE/TIME: About
12 noon Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025
INCIDENT
LOCATION: Multiple locations in Barton, Eden and Irasburg
VIOLATIONS: Multiple; see incident summary below
ACCUSED: Robert
Dragon
AGE: 34
CITY, STATE OF
RESIDENCE: No fixed address – Orleans, Washington, Caledonia, Lamoille county
areas
ACCUSED:
Jessica Hunt
AGE: 34
CITY, STATE OF
RESIDENCE: Eden, VT
ACCUSED: Jeremy
Somerset
AGE: 49
CITY, STATE OF
RESIDENCE: Eden, VT
SUMMARY OF
INCIDENT:
***Initial
news release, 6:35 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025***
The Vermont
State Police is searching for a wanted man and warning the public that he
should be considered dangerous following a series of law-enforcement
interactions including Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in northeastern Vermont.
At about noon
Tuesday, VSP Derby troopers responded to a sighting of the wanted person,
Robert Dragon, who was traveling through the Barton and Irasburg areas. Dragon
was witnessed operating a blue Volvo XC6 in a negligent manner hazardous to
public safety. A second vehicle, a silver Toyota Camry, was observed traveling
with the Volvo. Shortly thereafter a trooper located Dragon parked at a
residence in Barton. The trooper ordered Barton to exit the vehicle, but Dragon
refused and drove away toward an assisting Morrisville Police Department officer
and through an active construction zone on Burton Hill Road in a negligent
manner. Dragon was not pursued and remains at large.
Responding law
enforcement units then located the Toyota Camry nearby on LeBlanc Road. The
Camry immediately fled but was located shortly thereafter unoccupied in a
private driveway on Vermont Route 58 in Irasburg. Jessica Hunt and Jeremy
Somerset were located inside a nearby shed, identified as the occupants, and
were subsequently taken into custody without further incident on charges of unlawful
trespass. Hunt was also found to be the subject of a “cite and release” warrant
out of Lamoille County for failing to appear in court on an original charge of
Accidents-Duty to Stop.
Hunt and
Somerset were transported to the VSP Derby Barracks for processing and released
with the following citations:
Hunt:
Arrest
Warrant/Lamoille County — due to appear in court at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb.
12.
Unlawful
Trespass/Orleans County — 8:30 a.m. March 25, 2025
Somerset:
Unlawful
Trespass, Negligent Operation/Orleans County — 8:30 a.m. March 25, 2025
Dragon is the
subject of multiple active arrest warrants including a $500 bail failure-to-appear
warrant out of Orleans County for eluding law enforcement, reckless
endangerment and vehicle operation with license suspended for DUI, and a $2500
bail warrant out of Washington County for felony vehicle theft, violation of
conditions of release and vehicle operation with license suspended for
DUI. Dragon is now wanted by VSP Derby troopers
for fresh charges of felony eluding with negligent operation and aggravated
assault on a law enforcement officer. Additional charges are possible as the
investigation progresses. Dragon also is the subject of active pretrial
conditions of release mandating a 24-hour curfew at a residence in Lamoille
County.
The Volvo that Dragon
was operating was found to have been stolen out of Eden and has not been
recovered. The Toyota Camry, which was recovered, also was found to have been
stolen out of Eden. These cases reference VSP-Williston case numbers 21A5000593
and 21A5000936 respectively and remain under active investigation.
Dragon is considered extremely dangerous and should not be approached. Any sightings should be reported immediately to 911. Dragon is white, about 6 feet tall and thin. Photos of Dragon and the stolen Volvo are attached to this release.
Members of the
public with information about his whereabouts should contact troopers at 802-334-8881
in the Orleans County area or 802-878-7111 in the Chittenden and Lamoille county
areas. Anonymous tips can be provided online at https://vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit.
Troopers were
assisted during this incident by officers from the Newport Police Department,
Morrisville Police Department, U.S. Border Patrol, DMV Enforcement, and the
Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife Warden Division.
No additional
details are available. VSP will provide updates as the investigation continues.
- 30 -
