BENNINGTON -- An East Road man is facing two felony charges stemming from a crash in early January that injured his passenger.
Scott Kipp, 22, pleaded not guilty Monday to driving under the influence of alcohol with an injury resulting, and gross negligent vehicle operation with serious injury. He was released on conditions he not drive or consume alcohol.
According to an affidavit by Bennington Police Officer Amanda Thompson, on Jan. 3 at 2:52 a.m. she responded to Shield Drive for a one-vehicle rollover crash. The driver, Kipp, was out of the vehicle and complained of an injury to his elbow. He smelled like alcohol, according to Thompson, and submitted a breath test showing his blood-alcohol content to be .066 percent.
A supplemental affidavit by Amanda Bolduc, a chemist at the Vermont Forensics Laboratory, said Kipp's BAC at the time of the crash would have been .087 percent.
The vehicle's passenger, Frank Griffis, 20, was transported to Southwestern Vermont Medical Center and told police he suffered a broken pelvis, rib, bruised lung, and kidney. According to Thompson, Kipp said he had consumed a few beers earlier in the night. She said there was evidence to suggest Kipp had intentionally been driving his vehicle into snow banks in a reckless fashion and was driving too fast when he lost control of his vehicle and hit a tree.
-- Keith Whitcomb Jr.
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