Vermont police sergeant accused of watching YouTube in cruiser, fatally hitting cyclist
A Vermont police sergeant is accused of having a YouTube video playing on a computer-mounted tablet in his cruiser when he fatally hit a cyclist in South Burlington, Vermont last year.
The incident happened in November 2024, when investigators say Kyle Kapitanski was driving over the speed limit with a YouTube video playing moments before the crash.
Court documents obtained by the Burlington Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, form a part of a felony charge against Kapitanski. The incident was captured by his body-worn camera and reviewed by Detective Sgt. Steven Gelder of the Vermont State Police.
A charging document written by Gelder says that Kapitanski's car-mounted tablet displayed a web browser with a YouTube video pulled up and that Kapitanski concealed his YouTube usage following the crash.
"(Kapitanski's) hand can be seen changing the tablet's display screen, after the collision, from the YouTube website to Valcour, which is a computer-aided dispatch (CAD) screen," the document says.
Kapitanski was issued a felony citation last month following an investigation by Vermont State Police, and his arraignment for the charge of grossly negligent operation with death resulting will take place on March 13. He could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted of the charge.
What happened?
Kapitanski is accused of hitting Burlington resident Sean Hayes in the early morning of Nov. 11, 2024. Hayes was reported to be pushing a bike with an attached trailer along the curb of the road when he was struck from behind. Hayes did not have reflective gear or lights on his bike or trailer.
The crash report obtained by the Burlington Free Press after the accident revealed that Kapitanski was driving about 40 mph in an area with a speed limit of 35. He also did not stop right away, with his brakes activated about 85 feet past the collision site, according to the crash report.
The police department's IT team reported the video playing at the time of the accident was titled, "Trans woman CONFRONTING Matt Walsh takes UNEXPECTED turn."
Hayes died at the scene from blunt force trauma. Kapitanski was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
In a statement to the Burlington Free Press, Kapitanski's attorney David Sleigh said he plans to challenge the charge, stating the evidence presented does not constitute the charge.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
Sydney P. Hakes is the Burlington city reporter for the Burlington Free Press. Contact her at SHakes@gannett.com.