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Local Men Killed in Vermont CrashStaff reports - April 17, 2008
iBerkshires
STAMFORD, Vt. — A devastating tractor-trailer crash in Woodford, Vt., on Wednesday claimed the lives of two local men.
Jeffrey Lamore, 29, of Stamford and Thomas Peterson, 32, of Readsboro were killed when a tractor-trailer truck crushed their vehicle.
The driver of a second car, Paul Beebe, 53, was air flighted to Albany (N.Y.) Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition.
Police had withheld the names of Lamore and Peterson until Thursday afternoon because of difficulty indentifying their remains. Autopsies were performed on Thursday.
Sgt. Michael Marvin of the Vermont State Police said early Thursday morning that the men's families had been contacted on Wednesday.
The victims' car was engulfed in flames after being hit by the tractor-trailer truck at about 1:30 p.m. at the Route 9 bridge spanning City Stream just east of the town offices.
According to police, the tractor-trailer, driven by Kenneth A. Middlebusher, was heading west on Route 9 when his load shifted coming around the turn leading onto the bridge. The truck swerved into the eastbound lane, striking the victims' car, then continued sliding into a second vehicle, trapping its driver inside.
The Lamore and Peterson were declared dead at the scene, according to the Bennington Banner. It reportedly took firefighters more than an hour to remove the driver from the second vehicle.
Middlebusher was able to walk away from the scene.
Middlebusher, 42, of Deptford, N.J., pleaded not guilty in Vermont District Court in Bennington on Thursday afternoon to charges of gross and negligent operation of a motor vehicle resulting in a fatality.
He is being held at Marble Valley Correctional Center in Rutland on $50,000 bail.
The police report, filed by Cpl. Gary Shuhart, said the conditions were dry and clear at the time of the accident. Police are saying speed may also have been a factor. Route 9, also known as the Molly Stark Trail, drops steeply from Woodford Mountain into the valley below. A sign at the top of the mountain warns drivers of the curving descent.
According to WTEN Channel 10 News in Albany, police said the truck tipped over when its 32-ton load of unsecured paper shifted in the trailer as Middlebusher attempted to negotiate the righthand curve onto the bridge. The truck was reportedly traveling 20 mph faster than it should have been.
Witnesses at the scene told the Banner that another motorist had aided Middlebusher getting out of his cab then went back into the cab and grabbed a fire extinguisher to prevent the second car from igniting.
Channel 10 News reported Thursday evening that Middlebusher had told police he was aware his load wasn't properly secured when he left Brattleboro.
The road was closed for several hours while the accident was cleared.
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| From the Editor: Just to clarify, "staff reports" is a common designator for stories compiled from a variety of sources, including original reporting. | | from: | on: 04-18-2008 |
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| The New England Newspapers obituary policy, which impacts those who deal with the Bennington Banner, the North Adams Transcript, the Brattleboro Reformer and the Berkshire Eagle is most unfriendly. The cost is ridiculous, and here is something to think about: while the Lamore family was being rudely treated at a time of tragedy by Eagle staff, the Bennington Banner was making money from the sale of papers reporting about the accident. I don't see that iberkshires has responded much better; they are using news from other sources and calling it a "staff report." It is time for people to seriously consider where and how they spend their advertising dollars. The sad truth is, the next accident may involve your family and the local media will treat you equally poorly. There was a time when the local reporters and media had some element of care and concern about how things were presented but the those with a conscience have been replaced by those with greedy, cold souls. | | from: orienne | on: 04-18-2008 |
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| From the Editor: The Bennington Banner has edited its accident video, removing the comment. Our site now carries the new version. | | from: | on: 04-18-2008 |
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| I and my family have been victimized by the callous and insensitive nature of some of our local media as well. Freedom of the press and all of it's applications were made a part of our bill of rights at a time when the press was a town crier or scribe and photography was futuristic fantasy. They say a pictue is worth a thousand words....I'll take the words. I, for one, do make the choice not to tune in to sensationalistic, tabloid-orient journalism bent on profiting from the misfortunes of others. Yes, you can hide behind the cloak of "the news" but you must have a cast-iron conscience if you can sleep at night knowing you hurt someone or some family psychologically or emotionally through your insensitive actions. I do know how to affect the media and that is by pulling advertising....I advertise with I-Berkshires and I will pull such advertising and will encourage my local business brethren to do the same if another video of this nature is ever run again. | | from: Sad State of the Media | on: 04-18-2008 |
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Anonymous: Allow me to quote myself from my last post: “and I believe we should all now concentrate our thoughts and prayers on the family and loved ones of the victims of this horrific crash.” So, I guess we agree.
Additionally, to everyone who has posted the commentary such as “this is life” “this happens everywhere else” blah blah blah, I have never once argued this, you people need to actually read what I wrote (for some of you, more than once) comprehend it, and then you will truly understand what I am saying….DO SOME EDITING!!!!!!!!!!
I have never once advocated for the censorship of our media. Furthermore, allow me to provide you with a constitutional law lesson; Anyone (yes media included) can take a picture of anything as long as they are in a legal place (public area, public street, public sidewalk, anywhere the public has a right to be in) and is taking a photograph of someone/something where there is no expectation of privacy (being in a public place) This is simply for photography, not audio transmissions that may fall under a state or federal wiretap statute.
Our media possesses a tremendous amount of influence. This great responsibility and control should never be taken for granted, and should always be dispersed with the greatest amount of equality, honesty and decency.
Again, let us all focus our thoughts and prayers on everyone involved in this terrible situation.
| | from: Scott | on: 04-18-2008 |
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| As a former member of the local media, I want to share that the newspapers and other news sources did do their job while reporting on the tragic Woodford accident. However, I would also like to share that while the Bennington Banner was preparing its' front-page, graphic [and single-copy sales generating]news coverage of this horrible accident, its' sister newspaper, the Berkshire Eagle, was making the publication of the obituary of an accident victim, Jeffrey Lamore, very, very difficult for the Lamore family. I would suggest that since local newspapers assert both the right and the need to deliver graphic, sensational, photographic coverage of events such as this, the very least they could do is show some compassion and cooperation when the grieving families are trying to say good-bye to their loved ones. The conduct at the Eagle left quite a bit to be desired. | | from: Susan Bush | on: 04-18-2008 |
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| People get a life it happens all the time. It's news. Also the T.V. stations did say what happened to the victims, you just did not want to listen to the real facts. You people never say anything when something happens some place else as tragic as this and it posted thats OK but this is not. Face the facts. Life man | | from: | on: 04-18-2008 |
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| Dear iberkshire readers, The news is the news. It is sometimes brutal and surreal. I would ask you all to remember Jeff and Tom in the postive way we all knew and loved them. Remember its not about the cruelty of life, but the lives we knew and loved. | | from: Jeff's Mom | on: 04-18-2008 |
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| I knew Jeff real well - graduated HS with him. He was a good kid and always nice to me. I hadn't seen him in quite a few years but ironically enough ran into him just this past Monday at my gym...which makes this all the more weird to me. Thoughts and prayers to him and the other victims' friends & family. | | from: | on: 04-18-2008 |
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| two good people were tragically killed and all you are arguing about is what was said in the video? How about putting all of this anger towards the truck driver whom apparently stated that he knew his truck load was not properly secured and was ultimately the cause for this accident? He's the jerk who took these two men away from their friends and family and i hope he has the thoughts of these men being killed in his head for the rest of his life. | | from: anonymous | on: 04-17-2008 |
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TO: The iBerkshires & Real
First to “Real”, you are enormously missing the point, I highly doubt Channel 10 or 13, The Berkshire Eagle or the Bennington Banner would report on how the victims “must be fried” from this accident.
Actually, I believe iBerkshire’s including video in their stories adds a pleasant element to their reporting. However, I believe a certain degree of editing should be considered before posting raw material without the consideration of what the impact may be on the viewing public. I personally do not consider iBerkshires a tasteless website such as the many “shock” sites that pollute the net. However, if they post unedited videos without any thought, one must ask what type of media outlet they genuinely are.
To the iBerkshires editor, I thank you for your response and I believe you did not intend to aid in the suffering of the family and friends of the victim(s). I agree your job is difficult, I simply ask you to consider my point of view as I will certainly consider yours. I would again remind you of the three (3) seconds of tape (19-21seconds) and again ask you if you believe as responsible journalists that the commentary is appropriate or necessary for a news story.
Again, your posting of these comments which may differ from your own opinion is extraordinarily commendable and deserves its own attention. I thank you for this opportunity to speak my own mind and I believe we should all now concentrate our thoughts and prayers on the family and loved ones of the victims of this horrific crash.
| | from: Scott | on: 04-17-2008 |
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| People need to grow up. Death is fact of life. It can happen at any moment. Maybe we should be reminded more often, how fragile ones life is. Then maybe we would not do the stupid things we do!!!!! | | from: bryan | on: 04-17-2008 |
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| From the Editor: iBerkshires.com welcomes comments from our readers, whether they agree with our decisions or not. We are a news site and cover the good, the bad and the tragic - that's our job. The video, from the Bennington Banner, has an obviously shaken and horrified witness to the aftermath to the accident. His comment should be taken in that light. It's a tough call in these instances on how much to report; we've declined to state the full circumstances of the deaths of these young men, as was done on local TV. However, Mr. Steffen's interview certainly conveys that it was very, very tragic. | | from: | on: 04-17-2008 |
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| If this was on the news while you were watching TV would you still feel it is wrong to tell the story? I think the fact that it is a heartbreaking tragedy is what makes people feel the story should not be on iBerkshires.com. iBerkshires.com is a news source like the newspaper, radio, and Television. | | from: Real | on: 04-17-2008 |
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| iBerkshires, I do thank you for posting the comments that reflect negatively upon you, that is without a doubt commendable. | | from: Scott | on: 04-17-2008 |
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iberkshires, you shouldn’t be ashamed for posting this video, you should be ashamed for its vial content and your absolute disdain for editing!!!! This video is sickening, particularly from seconds 19 through 21 where the revolting commentary of “They gotta just be fried” can be clearly heard.
Absolutely revolting iBerkshires, please do the right thing and edit this video and truly redeem yourself as an upright and respectable media outlet that we all have come to enjoy and respect, versus supermarket tabloid rag sheet this article/video has now portrayed you as. Thank you.
| | from: Scott | on: 04-17-2008 |
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I understand that the families of the casualties may not appreciate the video but the news camera has no conscience. And after all IT's NEWS !!!!
No one will force them to watch it just as no one forced you to watch it. | | from: Reality | on: 04-17-2008 |
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| I am completely mortified and appalled that iberkshires would broadcast such a tragedy for public entertainment! You need to take it off of your web site and have show some decency and respect for the families of the two deceased persons!!!! | | from: Disgusted | on: 04-17-2008 |
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| I do not understand why someone would feel the need to post this video. Family and friends of the two men do not need to see this. It is hard enough to have lost a loved one, but to have to see the cars trapped under the truck is too much to see. I would hope that iBerkshires would have more journalistic integrity than that. | | from: Concerned | on: 04-17-2008 |
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