Submitted
Photo One: Michael S. Rousseau
Photo Two: Michael H. Halliday
KILLINGTON — On Friday, Nov. 27 at approximately 10:50 a.m., the Vermont state police responded to a call from the parking lot of the K-1 Gondola at Killington Resort. A concerned citizen observed a male use a snowboard to smash the sun roof of a vehicle parked next to him in the parking lot. The concerned citizen called the police to report the incident and took a picture of the suspect’s vehicle.
Responding troopers located the suspect vehicle on Route 4 where it was stopped on Meadow Lake Drive in Mendon, Vt. The operator of the vehicle, 42-year-old Michael Halliday of North Chittenden, Vt., was taken into custody on suspicion of DUI.
Halliday had a fresh, bleeding cut on his hand, police reported. According to statements during the investigation, police believed that Halliday caused the damage to the victim’s vehicle due to its being parked too close to his vehicle in the parking lot. Halliday reportedly had difficulty getting into his own car.
Halliday was charged with two counts of False Information to Law Enforcement; one count DUI; and one count Unlawful Mischief (Vandalism).
A passenger in Halliday’s vehicle, 42-year-old Michael S. Rousseau of Brandon, Vt., was also charged with two counts of False Information to Law Enforcement during the investigation after it was found he provided false and misleading information to the state police regarding this incident.
Both Halliday and Rousseau were taken into custody at the scene and were processed at the Rutland Barracks. Halliday’s vehicle was towed.
A full damage estimate is pending for the victim’s vehicle and it is unclear if the above mentioned Unlawful Mischief (Vandalism) charge will be a felony or misdemeanor. The pair is scheduled to appear in Rutland Superior Court (Criminal Division) on Jan. 11 to answer to their above listed charges.
Investigation at the scene also found that the victim’s dog was in the car when the glass was smashed. The dog was not hurt during the incident; however, the victim’s vehicle, a grey 2013 Hyundai Elantra, was not drivable due to lack of a roof. The Elantra had to be towed from the scene.
The victims/car owners were later identified as Jackie and Harvey Hollander, age 72 of Brooklyn, N.Y.
Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to call the State Police in Rutland at (802) 773-9101.
