Steven Bourgoin, 37, Williston, who is charged with five counts of second-degree murder in the October 8, 2016, wrong-way driving crash that killed five local teenagers, is seeking a change of venue for his trial.
The wrong-way driving crash on I-89 in Willison killed Eli Brookens, 16, of Waterbury; Liam Hale, 16, of Fayston; Cyrus Zschau, 16, and Mary Harris, 16, both of Moretown; and Janie Chase Cozzi, 15, Fayston.
Bourgoin’s trial and previous legal hearings have been held in Chittenden County. Documents filed on April 30 in Vermont Superior Court in Burlington seek to have the trial moved out of the county where the crash occurred. Bourgoin’s attorney, Bob Katims, argued that extensive pretrial publicity makes a fair trial impossible in Chittenden County.
Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George will respond to the motion and a judge will determine the location of the trial.
Bourgoin, who pleaded not guilty to five counts of second-degree murder, faces five life sentences if found guilty of the charge. Last month his attorney indicated that he would use an insanity defense.
