By Polly Lynn
KILLINGTON — On Friday night, July 31, at about 10:30 p.m., troopers from the Vermont State Police Barracks in Rutland, responded to a fatal car crash on Route 4 in the town of Killington. Upon arrival, police discovered that a Subaru Crosstrek had been traveling west on U.S. Route 4 near the Bridgewater line when it stuck a large Scottish Highlander bull that had escaped from its pasture at Mosher’s Excavation, according to Vermont state police.
After striking the bull the vehicle continued to travel westbound down a small grassy hill before colliding with a tree. The operator of the vehicle, later identified as Jon M. Bellis age 62 from Woodbridge, Conn., was fatally injured during the crash and died at the scene, police reported.
The Scottish Highlander bull was also killed.
One passenger and a dog were also present in the vehicle. Passenger Kathryn Barry, age 60, also of Woodbridge, was transported to Rutland Regional Medical Center for treatment to her right wrist. Bellis and Barry own a condo at Pinnacle Condominium Association in Killington, which they had frequently visited on weekends.
Their dog, a golden retriever named “Leo,” escaped from the vehicle and was lost for a few days. A group of locals and friends successfully located Leo on Tuesday, Aug. 4, after receiving sightings from the community. Leo will be reunited with Barry in Connecticut, where she had been attending to her husband’s funeral following the accident in Killington, according to Dan Quinn, a family friend.
“Leo is very friendly, but is out of his element. He is not wearing a collar nor tags,” Quinn said, before he was located. Quinn has volunteered to transport Leo back to Connecticut.
Troopers were assisted on scene by Killington Fire Department and Rutland Regional Ambulance. Anyone with information pertaining to this crash is asked to contact Trooper Rider at (802)773-9101.
