Kevin Bacon, 55, of Wells River. Photo courtesy Vermont State Police
Editor’s note: This story was published in the Valley News on June 14.
THETFORD — A 55-year-old Wells River man has been cited into court on several offenses after police say he sideswiped a Thetford police cruiser on Interstate 91 while he was on his cellphone, Vermont State Police said.
Kevin Bacon allegedly didn’t see Thetford Officer Stuart Rogers Jr. and his police cruiser on the side of the interstate in Thetford around 3:45 p.m. on Thursday because he was using an internet search engine to look for an episode of “Saved by the Bell” while he was driving, according to a state police news release. Rogers was standing behind a disabled vehicle with his emergency lights flashing at the time and was outside of his cruiser.
Bacon allegedly continued driving after the incident, and later stopped when Rogers got back in his vehicle and pursued him. No one was injured, and both Bacon’s Chevrolet Spark and Roger’s Ford Police Interceptor sedan suffered minor damage.
Bacon faces charges of gross negligent motor vehicle operation and leaving the scene of a crash. He also was cited for the violation-level offenses of texting while driving and operation on approach of emergency vehicles. He is due to answer to the charges on July 31 in Orange Superior Court in Chelsea.
Read the story on VTDigger here: Police: Motorist cited after sideswiping cruiser while on cellphone.