A Vermont judge has dismissed a Jericho road rage case after ruling that the defendant acted in self defense.
William Mercer, who was 19 at the time of the 2022 incident, had initially been cited on charges of aggravated assault, aggravated disorderly conduct and negligent driving, state police said in a press release at the time.
Police reported that on the night of June 16, Mercer stabbed Travis McGrath several times in the abdomen and torso, resulting in injuries that sent him to the hospital.
Mercer was eventually charged as a youthful offender and his case was heard in Chittenden County Superior family court. Judge Megan Shafritz ruled in Mercer’s favor in an order issued last month, according to paperwork provided by his family.
“Court finds self-defense was established by William and State did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that William was the aggressor in the encounter,” the judge said in the ruling.
Correction: Due to inaccurate information provided by police, an earlier version of this story misstated Mercer’s age at the time of his arrest.
