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January 23, 2026

News Release / Berlin Barracks

STATE OF VERMONT

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY

VERMONT STATE POLICE

 

NEWS RELEASE

MOTOR VEHICLE CRASH

 

CASE#: 26A3000568                                           

RANK/TROOPER FULL NAME: Trooper Kevin Charney

STATION: Berlin Barracks                                  

CONTACT#: 802-229-9191

 

DATE/TIME: 01/23/2026

STREET: Interstate 89 Southbound

TOWN: Williamstown

LANDMARK AND/OR CROSS STREETS: N/A

INTERSTATE MILE MARKER: 41.2

WEATHER: Snowing 

ROAD CONDITIONS: Snow Covered

 

VEHICLE #1

OPERATOR: Raphael Ligonde

AGE: 57    

SEAT BELT? Y

CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Barre, VT

 

VEHICLE YEAR: 2020

VEHICLE MAKE: Freightliner

VEHICLE MODEL: Cascadia

DAMAGE TO VEHICLE #1: No Done

INJURIES: None

HOSPITAL: N/A

 

SUMMARY OF CRASH:

 

On January 23rd, 2026, Troopers from the Berlin Barracks responded to the report of a tractor trailer that had crashed on Interstate 89 southbound around approximately mile marker 41.2. The tractor trailer lost control due to snow covered roads, jackknifed and slid off the left side of the roadway into a ditch. The operator reported no injuries and the left lane of Interstate 89 southbound was blocked but the right lane remained open for traffic. Stockwells Garage was able to remove the tractor trailer from the roadway, and the normal flow of traffic was able to resume. The roadway was cleared of any hazards.