An Enosburg Falls man has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder after, police say, he intentionally caused a head-on collision with another car, in which his wife was the passenger and his stepson the driver.
Jeffrey Cota, 53, pleaded not guilty to felony attempted second degree murder charges in Franklin criminal court Monday. He entered the same plea on two misdemeanor charges of violating court orders barring him from being within 300 feet of his wife and possessing firearms.
Police say Cota used his car as a weapon when he repeatedly crashed into the other vehicle, ultimately rolling his own car into a ditch and shutting down Route 36 for several hours.
According to court records in the case, Cota’s 21-year-old stepson, Harley Demag, was traveling westbound when he saw Cota’s car at an intersection. Demag told Vermont State Police Cota was yelling at him out the window.
Cota has an active relief from abuse order to not come within 300 feet of his wife or her vehicle.
Demag told officers he noticed Cota quickly approaching the car from the rear after their initial encounter, coming “no more than a foot from [the victim’s] rear bumper.” Cota then proceeded to side-swipe the car, causing his stepson to briefly drive off the road. Cota then sped off before, about 200 yards down the road, turning around and beginning to speed in the wrong lane directly towards his family members, causing the crash.
Cota then became trapped in his vehicle as it came to a stop in a ditch. Demag exited the vehicle, and fearing for his life, ran to a nearby gas station and called police. (Court records don’t say what happened to Cota’s wife after the crash).
Responding officers said Cota was answering questions with slurred and mumbled speech, but told officers he did not cause the crash. Instead, he said, a vehicle in front of him made a four point turn in the middle of the road. Cota said he did not have enough time to apply the brakes, which caused him to roll the vehicle into a ditch.
During the bail hearing in the case on Monday, Cota’s attorney said it might have been Demag who caused the crash, according to MyNBC5.
“It looks like it will take some time to sort out whether Mr. Demag committed the crime of aggravated assault, or something of that nature, or whether Mr. Cota has criminal responsibility,” said Steve Dunham, the Franklin County public defender representing Cota.
An individual who approached the crash scene and tried to help Cota also feared for their life, when they saw numerous rounds of ammunition around Cota’s car. Cota has a second court order barring him from possessing firearm ammunition.
Cota was treated for injuries at Northwest Medical Center. State police then brought Cota to Northwest State Correctional Facility, where he is currently being held on $100,000 bail.
If found guilty of attempted murder, Cota could face life in prison. The two abuse prevention order violation charges carry a possible penalty of one year in prison and $5,000 in fines.
