State v. Piper

After trial by jury, defendant was found guilty of operating a motor vehicle on a public highway in a careless and negligent manner. 23 V.S.A. § 1091(a). On appeal, defendant contends that the trial court erred in admitting into evidence certain statements he gave to the investigating officer. We disagree and affirm the conviction.

The pertinent facts are as follows. As defendant was driving to work on June 12, 1981, he saw a backhoe approaching on the highway with its stabilizer bars extended. He swerved to the right to avoid the backhoe and collided with a car ahead of him that had stopped…