Vermont State Police report two Las Vegas, Nevada residents are dead following an accident on Route 4 in Bridgewater. As VSP reports there were multiple people hurt in the two-car accident, all with varying degrees of serious to critical injuries:
DOUBLE FATAL MOTOR VEHICLE CRASH
CASE#: 12D300227
INVESTIGATING TROOPER: McNeice
STATION: Royalton
CONTACT#: 802-234-9933
DATE/TIME: 01/15/12 @ 1226 hrs.
LOCATION (specific): 586 US Route 4
Bridgewater, VT
VEHICLE #1 OPERATOR: Joshua Ouimette
AGE: 25
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Rutland, VT
DESCRIPTION OF VEHICLE: 2004 GMC Envoy
DAMAGE TO VEHICLE: Totalled
VEHICLE #2 OPERATOR: Christopher Raleigh
AGE: 56
CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Las Vegas, NV
DESCRIPTION OF VEHICLE: 2001 Ford Escape
DAMAGE TO VEHICLE: Totalled
INJURIES
V # / NAME / CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE / AGE / NATURE OF INJURY
1 / Joshua Ouimette / Rutland, VT / 25 / Severe but non life threatening
1 / Stephanie Hill / Rutland, VT / 28 / Severe but non life threatening
1 / 6 month old infant / Not injured
2 / Christopher Raleigh / Las Vegas, NV / 56 / Fatal-deceased (NO SEAT BELT)
2 / Travis Raleigh / Las Vegas, NV / 10 / Fatal-deceased
2 / James Raleigh / Las Vegas, NV / 13 / Minor injuries
2 / Anastasia Raleigh / Las Vegas, NV / 47 / Critical. Severe head and internal injuries. (NO SEAT BELT)
HOSPITAL: Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center
WEATHER: Clear, dry, cold.
ROAD COND: Dry, paved blacktop.
SUMMARY OF CRASH:
The Vermont State Police are investigating a two-car motor vehicle crash on US Route 4 in Bridgewater. As a result of this crash, a 56 year old male, Christopher Raleigh, and his 10 year old son, Travis sustained fatal injuries and were both pronounced deceased at the scene.
All parties were transported to DHMC except for the 6 month old infant who was not injured and was secured in a child safety seat. Members of the DHART air rescue team, Bridgewater Fire Department, Killington Fire Department, and Windsor County Sheriff’s Department all responded to the scene along with the VT State Police.
All parties had to be extricated from both vehicles by the fire department prior to being transported to the hospital.
At the time of this press release, members of the Vermont State Police Crash Reconstruction Team are on scene reconstructing the crash.
Initial investigation shows that V1 crossed over the center line hitting V2 head on. Alcohol or drugs do not appear to have played a role in this crash. It appears that Travis Raleigh, who was seated in the rear of V2, was wearing his seat belt. Christopher Raleigh and Anastasia Raleigh were not wearing their seat belts.
This crash remain under investigation and more information will be released when available.
Julia Carlisle
Woodstock Early Bird 
Posted by A. E. Norton on January 15, 2012 at 20:57
If alcohol and drugs weren’t involved, I’ll bet texting (by Ouimette) was. Unfortunately it will take many fatal accidents, and the death of some congressman’s daughter due to texting, to bring the dangers of this form of idiocy onto the national radar screen. Someday, not soon enough, it will be illegal in every state to text, for any reason, while driving.
WEB Reply: The texting concern is a good one but we should probably not point fingers/jump to conclusions until we DO know the facts of what happened. It is certainly just as easy — without texting — to drift into another lane along Route 4, especially in the curves between Bridgewater and Killington which is where this happened. According to the Rutland Herald, the accident scene was near Blanche and Bill’s Pancake House a dangerous section of road with or without a cell phone in use.
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Posted by A Earle on January 17, 2012 at 06:32
This actually occured on a completely straight section of road, no curves. I know because I was driving about a half dozen cars behind the Raleigh family when they were hit. This cannot be blamed on road conditions, but was more likely a ‘distracted driving’ incident.
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Posted by Juanita on January 19, 2012 at 14:16
Blanche and Bill’s Pancake House is on one of the few straight sections on that road if memory serves me right…
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Posted by m.m. manning on January 25, 2012 at 18:42
In all actuality no it wasn’t texting and before you know the whole story A.E. Norton, you shouldn’t jump to conclusions. This was a tragic event that happened and I am so sick and tired of reading all the things where people are just being cruel. It sucks that this had to happen but sitting there making accusations is not going to help matters any. There is much gossip going around about the whole thing and people need to stop pointing fingers and making up lies and posting them all over the internet. The people involved are devistated enough.
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Posted by swaggler21 (@SchuylerAlexis) on January 15, 2012 at 21:22
From Alexis Schuyler my prays are with your family ❤
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Posted by thisgirlhere1100 on January 17, 2012 at 09:35
This is sad, my thoughts and prays are with the family who lost their loved ones. My thoughts are also with my cousin, Ouimette, He is a good person!! and I am sure that he is praying for the family as well. Please don’t judge him. Lets just keep both sets in mind..and prays going both ways for the recovery of all survivors. and prays for the ones that are no longer with us.
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Posted by Jan on January 17, 2012 at 12:13
Christopher Raleigh was a well-respected attorney here in Las Vegas and this accident is tragic for everyone involved. The entire legal community in Las Vegas is in mourning today. Please, do not speak on that which you do not know. Words can be very painful.
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Posted by baltimoreravens54 on January 17, 2012 at 20:59
The boy, Travis and his brother, James, went to my school. Its very sad to know that he died in a car crash, but I think we all learned that you need to be prepared for the unexpected, because you dont think about it now, but your life can change in a flash. Its hard for everyone in my school to process this and my heart goes out to the Raleigh family and all of their friends.
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, may they lead a beautiful and wonderful afterlife.
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Posted by alaina castro on January 18, 2012 at 01:00
Travis was one of my best friends at school. He always knew how to cheer a person up. I always was sad about something and travis wouuld come along and cheer me up. Our school is emepty without him. R.I.P TRAVIS RELEIGH. ;( u will be missed and i want u to know that ur desk is now a memorial on our big cubby window
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Posted by Adrienne DeLanoy on January 18, 2012 at 01:51
May the Raleigh family and friends remember all the wonderful times they experienced together. I know how much Chris loved his beautiful wife and sons. Anastasia..may your recovery be speedy so you and James can feel the love from all of your friends and family trying to help you get through these very difficult times. You are all in my prayers.
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Posted by Cathy Westlake on January 19, 2012 at 23:39
May God Bless everyone involved in this horrible tradgedy. I’ve known Travis for 6 years from working at LVDS. From the time he was 5,he was always smiling. He loved to play dodgeball and had so many friends.Travis always would give me a hug when he saw me. I will miss him and will always keep him in my prayers. God bless you Trave.
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Posted by DCBWRJ on January 20, 2012 at 00:36
My thoughts on the accident turn to the fact that there are few spots to pass on Route 4. The stretch by Blanche and Bill’s is one of them and people jump at the chance to pass – perhaps they could not get back into the right lane in time. Sure is sad
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