A Derby man was arrested late on the night of July 4 after police say he crashed his truck into a tree, fired a handgun multiple times, and struck a neighbor's unoccupied vehicle with gunfire.
Vermont State Police responded at about 11:20 p.m. to an OnStar crash report near the intersection of US-5 and Derby Pond Road. Officers found a white 2023 GMC Sierra in a backyard, crashed into a tree with front-end damage and evidence of gunfire. A passerby also reported seeing an armed man running on US-5.
As troopers approached the vehicle, a shot was fired from behind a nearby tree. David Gendreau, 46, was found hiding there with a handgun and taken into custody without injury. Police said he actively resisted being secured in a patrol car.
The investigation indicates Gendreau had been driving on his property before the crash. He allegedly fired several rounds from inside the truck, struck a neighbor's vehicle, and sent a round across the roadway as troopers arrived.
Gendreau was charged with disorderly conduct, recklessly endangering another person, unlawful mischief, and resisting arrest. He was evaluated at North Country Hospital as a precaution and lodged at Northern State Correctional Facility on $500 bail with conditions of release.
Assisting agencies included Newport Police, U.S. Border Patrol, Orleans County Sheriff's Department, and Newport Ambulance Service. The investigation is ongoing; anyone with information is asked to contact Trooper Rice at the Derby barracks.
Originally reported by Newport Dispatch.
Photo: Daniel via Unsplash. Photo is illustrative and not from the scene.
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