LEICESTER, Vt. — A tragic two-vehicle crash on Sunday afternoon along U.S. Route 7 in Leicester has left one person dead and three others seriously injured, according to the Vermont State Police.
Troopers were called to the area near Cram Road just after 1 p.m. following reports of a head-on collision involving a 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer and a 2007 Pontiac G6. Upon arrival, first responders found multiple victims entrapped and unconscious, with one of the vehicles fully engulfed in flames.
Authorities say several bystanders acted heroically, pulling victims from the burning Chevrolet and performing CPR on one of the occupants. Despite their efforts, a passenger in the Chevrolet, identified as 50-year-old Gillian Gero, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the Pontiac, traveling southbound, crossed the center line and struck the northbound Chevrolet head-on. The force of the impact pushed the Chevrolet over a guardrail, where it came to rest in an embankment before catching fire.
The driver of the Chevrolet and another passenger were rushed to nearby hospitals with serious injuries. The driver and passenger of the Pontiac were also transported to medical centers for treatment, one of them with life-threatening injuries.
Police believe that speed may have been a contributing factor in the crash, though the investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone who may have witnessed the collision or has relevant information is urged to contact the Vermont State Police New Haven Barracks at (802) 388-4919.
The community mourns the loss of Gillian Gero as authorities work to determine the full circumstances behind this devastating crash.