MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — The man who police determined had vandalized a Black Lives Matter street mural in front of the Statehouse died in a car crash, Montpelier police said.
Police said Thursday that they had concluded their investigation into the vandalism of the mural that was painted on State Street in June. Early June 14, it was smeared with mud, dirt and oil, and graffiti was sprayed on the sidewalk nearby.
DNA was collected from a red spray paint can found in a trash can on the Statehouse lawn, police said. Police also had video surveillance. The Vermont State Crime Lab matched the DNA to Fred Seavey, 56, who police learned had died in a car crash on July 1.
Seavey had gone into a construction area behind the Department of Motor Vehicles building and removed chemicals and oil, which he used to deface the mural, police said.
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A Pawlet man accused of driving through a crowd of protesters during a Black Lives Matter rally in Manchester, endangering people, has pleaded not guilty to negligent vehicle operation and reckless endangerment.
Authorities say that Dustin Tobin, 28, drove through a crowd of kneeling protesters taking part in a Black Lives Matter demonstration in a town roundabout on June 7, the Bennington Banner reported.
No injuries were reported.
Video reportedly showed Tobin’s truck had gone through the roadway less than 10 minutes earlier, while the protesters were in the center island. Witnesses reported that he had made an obscene gesture out the window. Tobin called police to report that a protester had thrown water at his vehicle, according to Manchester police officer Ryan Matteson.
Tobin told police that he was not racist and was just trying to get through the intersection. He said he made the crude hand gesture in response to a comment from a protester. Tobin, who is serving as his own attorney, pleaded not guilty on Monday.
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