(First appeared in the August 12th edition of the Vermont Standard)
By Eric Francis
Standard Correspondent
WINDSOR – A Fourth-of-July high-speed chase with police right over the iconic Windsor-Cornish covered bridge landed a West Weathersfield man in court this week.
Jonathan Hurd, 41, of Brownsville appeared in court voluntarily on Tuesday after hearing that police had issued an arrest warrant for him. Hurd pleaded innocent to grossly negligent operation of a vehicle, attempting to elude police, and driving despite a license that was suspended for life because of a previous drunk driving conviction. Hurd was released from the courthouse after he signed for a $5,000 unsecured appearance bond.
Windsor Police Officer Ryan Palmer wrote in an affidavit filed with the court that he has known Hurd for years and recognized him immediately on the afternoon of July 4 when he was patrolling around the Cumberland Farms in Windsor looking for evidence of drug sales activity. Hurd was talking to a couple in a pickup truck and “became very nervous once he became aware of my presence,” Palmer wrote.
A few minutes later Hurd drove back by the parking lot just in time to see Hurd driving south on Main Street on a motorcycle while wearing a black motorcycle helmet. Knowing that Hurd was suspended for life due to “numerous alcohol-related offenses,” Palmer turned on his blue lights and pulled out into traffic.
Hurd took a right turn onto Maple Street which put him headed the wrong way down a one-way street and kept glancing back at Palmer to see if he was following, according to the report. “Hurd slid sideways and had to veer halfway into the on-coming lane (in order) not to crash,” Palmer wrote, “A black sedan had to brake heavy and swerve out of Hurd’s way to avoid hitting him.”
Palmer said Hurd steadied the cycle and then “accelerated heavily” down Union Street towards Bridge Street and the Connecticut River beyond. With “no regard for his life or the life and safety of other motorists and pedestrians,” Palmer said Hurd sailed through the busy intersection of Union and Main Streets at 80 mph despite the hot, sunny holiday afternoon and then floored it over the covered bridge. “Again, he almost lost control of the motorcycle making a right hand turn onto New Hampshire Route 12A. There were a large group of people next to the bridge who Hurd could have easily
injured,” Palmer said.
Because of the busy holiday traffic the decision was made to break off the chase at that point but police left over 20 phone and text messages for Hurd in the following hours and days telling him to get to the police station, Palmer said.
