Probationary firefighter charged in Cavendish barn fire

By Shawn Cunningham
© 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC

A probationary firefighter has been charged with first-degree arson after an investigation of a barn fire in Cavendish last week.

The Vermont State Police Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit said in a press release today that Zerrick Ausikaitis, 20, of Cavendish, “intentionally lit” a fire that damaged a barn at 395 Chambers Road in Cavendish. The barn belongs to Gary Muehlemann, who is also from Cavendish. At the time of the fire, Ausikaitis was a probationary firefighter with the Cavendish Fire Department.

According to VSP Detective Sergeant David Hurwitch, Ausikaitis called the fire in to 911 at approximately 3 a.m. on Saturday, April 19. Firefighters who were present at the scene told The Telegraph, Ausikaitis also responded to the fire.  According to Cavendish Deputy Chief Abe Gross, it was the first day that Auikaitis had access to Active 911, which is a mobile phone app that allows dispatchers to send alerts directly to emergency personnel and to know who is coming to the fire and from where.

According to a Facebook post by the Proctorsville Fire Department, that department was notified of the fire and asked to go to its station in case the Cavendish Fire Department needed assistance. Shortly after that, Proctorsville was called to the scene and helped put out “a smoldering fire” on the outside of the building.

Gross told The Telegraph that the origin of the fire seemed suspicious and asked the Vermont State Police to investigate. He said that VSP notified him of the arrest yesterday and the Cavendish Fire Department took immediate action.

“As a consequence of (his arrest) Zerrick’s probationary period, which began when his application was accepted on April 18, is ended prematurely and unsatisfactorily. He is no longer affiliated with the department in any way,” Gross wrote in a statement this afternoon. He said that an arrest is not the same as a guilty verdict, but that the Cavendish Fire Department holds itself to higher standard.

There were no animals in the barn at the time of the fire and neither fire department reported any injuries.

Ausikaitis was arrested in Cavendish on Monday, April 28. He was cited to appear in Windsor County Superior Court Criminal Division on June 24, 2025.