A Vermont couple was arrested last month after investigators found crack cocaine in the systems of their three children.
According to WCAX, a Franklin county sheriff’s deputy spotted a truck at a Park and Ride in Georgia, Vermont, with its lights on. Inside, the deputy found Travis Dashnow, 41, and Jena Mays, 29, and their children.
The adults told the deputy they were there to gather items from the truck, which was inoperable after a crsh. But the deputies found drug paraphernalia and possible crack in the truck within reach of the children.
Tests later confirmed the kids had crack in their systems.
Mays and Dashnow pleaded not guilty to cruelty to children and reckless endangerment and were released on condition, which weren’t revealed.
The children were released into the care of a family member.
Dashnow also appeared in court last week in Washington County, where he pleaded not guilty to obstruction of justice, impeding a public officer, and gross negligent operation, the Argus Leader reported.
Those charges stemmed from an incident on July 18 in Marshfield that involved an SUV driven by Dashnow. A state trooper said in court that a witness saw the SUV driving erratically, swerving over the lines and nearly hitting another vehicle before coming upon a stationary granite truck and hitting it. The witness said the driver didn’t use his brakes and only tried to avoid the truck at the last moment.
The troopers said Dashnow’s eyes were nearly swollen shut and he answered “not yet” when she asked if he’d had any drugs or alcohol.
Dashnow participated in field sobriety tests and had trouble maintaining balance. He gave a preliminary sample of his breath, which gave a blood alcohol content reading of 0.0 percent, but refused to give a sample of his blood when at the hospital, where he was taken after complaining of pain after the crash, even though troopers had obtained a warrant. He also refused to provide another breath sample.
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[Featured image: Travis Dashnow and Jena Mays/Franklin County Sheriff’s Office]
