Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Fight ends in court



Rutland Herald | February 15, 2017

By GORDON DRITSCHILO

STAFF WRITER


Travis Trites

Police said a Rutland man tried to clobber his boss with a chair during an argument about shoveling the back steps.
Travis J. Trites, 41, pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Rutland criminal court to a felony charge of aggravated assault with a weapon and a misdemeanor charge of simple assault. If convicted, he could face a maximum 16 years in prison. He was freed on the conditions he stay away from witnesses in the case and out of the Wobbly Barn nightclub at Killington.

Trites was working at the Wobbly Barn on Monday night, according to affidavits, when his manager, Zachary Steinhart, told him to “go outside and look at the steps that were not shoveled.”

Steinhart told police they got outside, and he noticed Trites holding a knife. Steinhart described Trites putting down and picking up the knife repeatedly during their discussion before pointing it at him and taking a step forward, at which point the manager said he ran into the dining room.

Witnesses describe Trites following Steinhart into the dining room, picking up a chair and lifting it up over his head to swing at Steinhart, at which point other employees tackled both men to the floor, according to police. Steinhart told police Trites still managed to connect with a punch to his neck.

Police said Trites told them he lost his temper but was tackled before he make contact with Steinhart.

In court Tuesday, the state asked that one of the conditions of Trites release be that he stay 300 feet away from the Wobbly Barn, a provision opposed by Trites’ lawyer.

“Practically speaking, judge, if he’s working on the mountain, the access road goes right by the Wobbly Barn,” Public Defender Amanda Mowle said.

Deputy Rutland County State’s Attorney Peter Bevere said that if Trites found other work on the mountain, the state would revisit the condition, but Judge Cortland Corsones said public safety would be satisfied with a requirement that Trites simply stay off the property.

gordon.dritschilo @rutlandherald.com

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