On April 13, 2016

Not criminal negligence

The accident which occurred on Rt. 4, July 31st was truly sad and tragic for all involved. Such devastating losses were suffered by all families and friends.

I wondered but assumed, that someone who has ever driven these roads, in the dark of night surely had his lights on, or the high beams. I could never figure out how, if the bull and the auto were in the same lane, the driver did not see that enormous red, hairy creature on the road. Now, learning that the driver traveled this particular road frequently and was familiar with it in darkness, I don’t understand how this tragedy was not avoided.

My letter is to deal with facts and what was written or reported about Mosher and this tragedy.

There is nothing “negligent” about Mosher’s modus operandi or value judgement. He went out to locate “Big,” his bull, after being informed he was on the road. Eye witnesses are said to have seen no attempt to avoid the bull or use the brakes. Who can understand this?  

Craig Mosher knows instinctively and immediately what actions to take, as with the Irene storm, when he arose that morning, phones out, could not reach his men to help, so jumped into his heavy duty vehicle and took off to explore and work, which he did for months working to clear up the devastation in our state.  He is by no stretch of “legal machinations,” negligent.

Mosher has a strong genuine respect and love for landscape, proven by having removed the “pencil forest” (my own description), at the east entrance of his property. By so doing he created a rolling green meadow, vastly improving the east entrance to the town of Killington. In this meadow are his livestock, one sheep and one donkey. Big’s brother, Rob, is behind sturdy fencing close to Mosher’s home.

Those of you with a beloved pet dog, know this can happen sometimes. However, Big was not a house kept pet, but did share the same age old instincts with dogs and other animals. So who knows why he was on the road that night.

It was not the negligence of the owner.

Alice Sciore, Killington, Vt.

Do you want to submit feedback to the editor?

Send Us An Email!

Related Posts

The public reality of private schools

June 25, 2025
Dear Editor, In their June 13 commentary, “The Achilles’ heel of Vermont education reform,” the Friends of Vermont Public Education state that, “Since the early 1990s, we have been operating two parallel educational systems — public and private.” The organization calls upon the Vermont Legislature to create “one unified educational system,” arguing that, “The current…

Alternative steps for true education reform

June 25, 2025
By Jim Lengel Editor’s note: Jim Lengel, of Duxbury and Lake Elmore, started teaching in Vermont in 1972, worked for the state board of education for 15 years, and retired back in Vermont after helping schools all over the world improve the quality of teaching and learning. Our executive and legislative branches have failed during…

Protect SNAP—because no Vermonter should go hungry

June 25, 2025
Dear Editor, As a longtime anti-hunger advocate, a former SNAP recipient, and a proud Vermonter, I am deeply alarmed by proposals moving through Congress that would gut the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known here in Vermont as 3SquaresVT. If passed, these cuts would devastate thousands of families across the Green Mountain State that rely…

The Good, the Bad & the Ugly of H.454

June 25, 2025
By Sen. Ruth Hardy Editor’s note: Ruth Hardy, of East Middlebury, represents Addison County in the Vermont Senate. She wrote the following reflection (originally posted at ruthforvermont.com) on voting “no” on H.454, the eduction transformation reform bill that passed last week.  On Monday, June 16, the Legislature passed H.454, the education transformation bill that was…