Weston man held on $50,000 bail after traffic stop, skirmish with troopers

A Weston man is being held on $50,000 bail today on felony charges stemming from an overnight traffic stop in Londonderry and a subsequent chase and crash in Weston.

According to a Vermont State Police press release, Craig Sallee, 35, was stopped by a trooper on Route 11 in Londonderry at about 1:30 a.m. on Friday because the registration on his 2000 Subaru Forester had expired.

Police said that when they noticed drug paraphernalia, they asked Sallee to get out of the car. But after speaking with troopers, Sallee ran back to his car and tried to drive away. Police say that while they tried to remove him from the car again, Sallee assaulted a trooper, tried to take his gun and then drove about 30 feet with the trooper being “partially dragged.”

The trooper managed to free himself and began a chase north on Route 100 into Weston. Police say that during the chase, Sallee drove with his lights off, drove on the opposite side of the road and drove over the speed limit. The car chase ended when Sallee missed a corner and rolled his car down and embankment.

But that was not the end of the chase. Troopers say that he continued to flee on foot until they caught him.

Sallee was taken to an emergency room for treatment of his injuries. The trooper was also treated for minor injuries.

Sallee was charged with felony eluding a law enforcement officer, gross negligent operation, driving under the influence, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, disarming a law enforcement officer and reckless endangerment.

Judge Katherine Hayes ordered that Sallee be held at Southern State Correctional Facility on $50,000 bail and was cited to appear in Vermont Superior Court, Windham Criminal Division later this afternoon.