Wrong-way crash on Interstate 89 sends 3 drivers to hospital

MILTON, Vt. (WCAX) - Vermont State Police are investigating after a wrong-way driver crashed on Interstate 89 in Milton, sending three people to the hospital.

Police were called to the scene just before Exit 17 on I-89 northbound around 11 p.m. Sunday.

They say Ernest Yangassa, 43, of Colchester was the wrong-way driver.

When troopers arrived at the scene, multiple vehicles were off the road and they had to pull Yangassa out of a burning car.

Troopers say they are still working to figure out why he was driving the wrong way.

“I think why is really difficult when you’re not able to speak to everybody. With that operator being unconscious, we can’t ask were they intoxicated, were they just confused and they got on the road the wrong way?” Vt. State Police Capt. Matt Daley said.

Daley says Yangassa is still in the hospital and is still believed to be unconscious.

Two other drivers were also taken to the hospital: Veronica Valliere, 18, of Northfield; and Michael Amoah, 25, of Burlington. We don’t know their conditions.

Police say charges in the crash are likely.

The interstate was shut down north of Exit 17 for about three hours while the scene was processed.

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