VERMONT SHERIFF'S DEPUTY UNHURT IN CRASH

A Bennington County Sheriff's Department deputy escaped injury when a dump truck struck his cruiser on Route 7 in Dorset. Vermont State Police said the truck driver also made it out of the crash unharmed. State Police said they were called around 10:10 a.m. Monday to Route 7 in Dorset for a report of a crash involving a Bennington County Sheriff's Department cruiser and a large dump truck.

Police said an investigation at the scene showed that Deputy James Blanchard, 23, of Mount Tabor, was driving his cruiser north on Route 7 with another vehicle behind him. Behind that vehicle, police said, and also heading north was the dump truck, driven by Eric Vernon, 34, of Granville, N.Y.

Police said the deputy saw a motorist speeding heading south, clocking the vehicle traveling 73 mph in a 50-mph zone. Police said the deputy turned on his emergency lights and pulled onto the shoulder. The vehicle behind the deputy also pulled over to the right, yielding to the cruiser's emergency lights, police said. At the same time, police said, a southbound box truck also pulled over to yield the right of way to the deputy.

"Believing it was safe, the deputy started a U-turn in an effort to stop the southbound speeding motorist," State Police said in a statement. "However, the dump truck operator was passing the vehicles on the left, not yielding to the Bennington County Sheriff's cruiser's blue lights. The deputy observed this after he had begun his U-turn.

The dump truck driver told police he didn't see the deputy's cruiser until it was right in front of him. "As a result, a collision resulted in the center of the roadway between the cruiser and dump truck, spinning the cruiser around approximately 190 degrees," according to State Police. Both motorists were wearing seat belts.

Police said the dump truck, a 1988 Freightliner, sustained a damaged left front head lamp and minor bumper damage. The cruiser, a 2002 Crown Victoria, sustained moderate left rear fender, taillight, bumper and trunk damage.