A Vermont State Police trooper was cited Wednesday with negligent operation and making false reports to law enforcement authorities, following an investigation that started with a traffic stop in early May, according to a Vermont State Police press release.
On May 8 around 3:10 a.m., Essex police officer Justin Lindor reported seeing a 2020 Jeep swerving outside of both the left and right lane lines on Susie Wilson Bypass, according to the release. Upon stopping the vehicle, Lindor identified the driver as Dylan LaMere, 30, of Essex — an off-duty trooper assigned to the St. Albans Barracks.
LaMere, who was in a private vehicle, identified himself as a state trooper and said he was “distracted by an email on his cellphone dispatching him to investigate a fatal crash,” according to the Vermont State Police.
After giving his explanation, LaMere was allowed to continue driving, but an Essex police investigation later determined there had not been any fatal crashes and that LaMere had not been called out to respond to such an incident, according to the press release.
That prompted the Vermont State Police to open an investigation on May 9, the release stated. LaMere was put on paid relief-from-duty status while State Police worked with the Chittenden County State’s Attorney’s Office on the investigation.
LaMere has been a trooper since January of 2019 and has worked at the St. Albans Barracks since he graduated from the Vermont Police Academy in July of that year, according to the press release. He is due to appear in Vermont Superior Court in Burlington on Tuesday to respond to the charges.
