[B]URLINGTON — Richmond Police Chief Alan Buck was hospitalized over the weekend following an unspecified medical event that occurred during the pursuit of a burglary suspect, according to State Police.
Buck and the Richmond Police Department were among several police agencies that responded Friday to assist in a pursuit that started in Jericho and ended several miles into the woods near Stowe.
According to the Richmond Town website, Buck was moved from intensive care to a regular room at the University of Vermont Medical Center on Sunday, and he and his doctors were discussing treatment options.
“While Chief continues to improve – he’s awake and talking with his friends and family – there’s more work to do by medical center staff. Such a terrific improvement, and so much hope! Thank you all for your supportive comments over the past few days,” the town website posted.
State police said in a news release that Buck “suffered a medical event” during the pursuit and was taken to the University of Vermont Medical Center. A hospital spokeswoman said they could not provide any information on Buck’s condition or confirm he was a patient.
In a Facebook post mid-day Sunday, Richmond police wrote that Buck is in “stable condition and continues to improve.” Calls to state police and Richmond police Monday for more information were not returned.
“Chief Buck, his family and his Richmond PD family would like to thank everyone for their support. We look forward to his continued recovery,” Richmond police said in the social media post.
Friday’s pursuit began when a state police detective spotted a Toyota Avalon that belongs to two suspects, Jerry Savo, 52, and Emily Legacy, 29, on Barber Farm Road in Jericho.
State police are investigating the Burlington residents as suspects in a string of burglaries in Chittenden and Washington counties over the last several months.
In one burglary which occurred at a home in Bolton on Oct. 7, the residents credit card was stolen. That card was used at a mini-mart in Sheldon, and surveillance footage allegedly shows Savo and Legacy using it to make a purchase, according to state police.
State police got a search warrant for Savo and Legacy’s home and car, but neither were present when it was executed on Oct. 13. Investigators found that Savo was on parole for burglary, passing bad checks, resisting arrest and other crimes.
Savo was scheduled to meet with his parole officer on Friday, and when he didn’t show, a warrant was issued for his arrest. At around 2:15 p.m., State Police Detective Sgt. Michael Kamerling spotted the pair’s car in Jericho.
Kamerling attempted to arrest the pair, but Savo escaped in the Avalon, launching a pursuit that would end nearly seven hours later and roughly 30 miles away in the woods near Stowe’s Nebraska Notch.
Another state police detective attempted to box Savo in a Jericho driveway, but Savo accelerated his car into the driver’s side of the detective’s cruiser and continued to flee.
Several local police department’s joined the chase at that point, including Buck and the Richmond police, as Savo continued to lead officers on a chase through Richmond, Waterbury and Stowe. At some point during that chase, Buck suffered the medical problem. According to the town website, the chief “was able to safely move to the side of the road and park his vehicle.” Another officer assisted him and Richmond Rescue responded.
While being pursued, Savo and Legacy allegedly threw items from the window of the Avalon, which were later identified as stolen property from a Friday burglary in Underhill, according to state police.
Officers lost sight of the Avalon on a stretch of Moscow Road in Stowe, ending the car chase. However, a witness called police to say they’d seen the Toyota near the trout club in an area known as Nebraska Valley.
Police found the car abandoned there and a team of officers with a canine unit followed a scent trail from there, while another team assembled near the Nebraska Notch trail head on Stevensville Road in Underhill.
Savo and Legacy were discovered and arrested without incident just before 8 p.m. about three miles into the woods, according to state police.
Legacy was issued a citation for possession of stolen property. Savo’s parole was revoked and he is being charged with careless and negligent operation, attempting to elude, aggravated assault on a police officer, possession of stolen property and burglary.
Savo pleaded not guilty to those charges at his arraignment via video on Monday. He is being held on $25,000 bail.