Addison County State’s Attorney Ends Fight Over License Suspension in DUI Arrest

Addison County District Attorney Eva Vekos has withdrawn her objection to a six-month driver’s license suspension that was issued following her arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs earlier this year.

However, he or she may return to driving before the six-month suspension period expires.

Vekos faced suspension from the board after she refused to take a breathalyser test following her arrest on the night of January 25. Police allege she turned up at the scene in Bridport under the influence of alcohol.

She also refused to take a photo and be fingerprinted at the New Haven state police station, where she was facing a DUI charge, according to charging documents.

She has since pleaded not guilty, and the Vermont Attorney General’s Office is prosecuting the case. The case has been moved from Addison County to Chittenden County to avoid potential conflicts.

A court hearing was scheduled for Tuesday to consider a civil suspension of her driver’s license. However, Vekos agreed last week that she would no longer contest the suspension, according to court documents.

“I have decided to withdraw my notice of intent to contest the civil stay proceeding because, in hindsight, I determined it was the best outcome for me and my community,” Vekos said in a statement Tuesday through her attorney, David Sleigh.

“My overall message to the community is that it is always better to cooperate with law enforcement,” the statement added. “We, as Vermonters, have the right to refuse evidence testing, but there are penalties associated with refusal — such as driver’s license suspension.”

Vekos said in a statement that the suspension of her driver’s license should not affect her ability to perform her duties as a prosecutor.

Sleigh said in an interview Tuesday that he expects his client will apply for a “restricted” license, which would still allow Vekos to drive but with an alcohol interlock device installed.

The driver must blow into the device before starting the vehicle, which prevents them from driving under the influence of alcohol.

Vekos also addressed ongoing staffing issues in her statement Tuesday. Two deputies in her office recently resigned, but the state’s attorney said she intends to keep the office “fully operational.”

Annie Noonan, director of labor relations and operations for the Department of State’s Attorneys and Sheriffs’ Division, said Tuesday that the Addison County District Attorney’s Office has one full-time and one part-time deputy prosecutor.

Addison County Assistant State’s Attorney Michael Novelli resigned from his full-time position last month to take a position with the Vermont Attorney General’s Office, Noonan said.

Noonan said Anthony Bambrick, a part-time assistant prosecutor, is scheduled to leave office July 8.

Neither Novelli, Bambrick nor Vekos responded to messages seeking comment Tuesday.

In her statement, Vekos said she is working to get the office fully staffed and aims to hire a new, full-time assistant state’s attorney in September, which Noonan also confirmed Tuesday.

Noonan said she could not yet reveal the name of that person, citing ongoing paperwork.

Noonan said that if the Addison County State’s Attorney’s Office needs additional prosecutorial assistance in the coming weeks, she expects prosecutors from nearby counties or the Vermont Attorney General’s Office will provide assistance.

Noonan said it’s not unusual for a district office, especially a smaller one like the one in Addison, to seek assistance from another district attorney’s office for a short period of time.

Vekosa’s ongoing DUI case hearing Tuesday before Judge Michael Harris focused largely on setting a pretrial schedule. A date for the hearing, which the parties said would last two days, has yet to be set.

“I firmly maintain that I was not under the influence when I went to the scene of the crime after being invited by law enforcement,” Vekos said in her statement Tuesday. “I look forward to being held accountable by my fellow citizens at trial.”