A truck driver is facing three felony counts of aggravated assault and battery after prosecutors allege he drove a semi-truck through an active crash recovery scene in Big Horn County, narrowly missing a sheriff’s deputy and two recovery workers.
According to court documents filed in Big Horn County Circuit Court, William Eric Vauter, 59, has been charged with three counts of aggravated assault and battery. Prosecutors allege Vauter attempted to cause serious bodily injury to Big Horn County Sheriff’s Deputy Nathan Kreider and recovery workers Quinton Haley and James Hoffert during the July 22 incident.
The charges stem from a crash recovery operation on County Road 26 near Greybull, where deputies and tow crews were removing a semi-truck involved in an earlier crash. According to the probable cause affidavit, emergency vehicles, tow trucks and personnel were positioned along the roadway with emergency lights activated while traffic was being directed through the area.
Court records allege Vauter returned to the scene approximately 20 minutes after initially passing through and drove a white semi-truck southbound through the recovery area at an estimated speed of 60 mph or more. Investigators allege Deputy Kreider attempted to stop the truck by standing in the roadway and signaling the driver to slow down, but the truck continued through the work zone without braking or reducing speed.
According to the affidavit, the semi came within approximately one foot of striking the deputy. The two recovery workers were also forced to move out of the truck’s path while working to load the disabled semi onto a trailer. No injuries were reported.
Investigators allege Vauter continued driving before being stopped about 1.5 miles from the scene. During the traffic stop, court documents state he told deputies he did not see the emergency vehicles and believed he had been traveling the posted speed limit.
Vauter was initially cited for failure to yield to emergency vehicles, reckless driving and reckless endangerment. Prosecutors have since filed three felony counts of aggravated assault and battery.
The charges are allegations, and Vauter is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.