Advertisement Suspect in fatal wrong-way crash suffered from PTSD, documents say Steven Bourgoin, 36, visited UVM Medical Center three times before fatal crash Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Court documents are providing new information about the man police said caused a head-on crash that killed five teens. The documents were filed Monday in Chittenden County Superior Court. Prosecutors charged Steven Bourgoin, 36, of Williston, with reckless or grossly negligent operation of a vehicle and aggravated operating a vehicle without the owner's consent. Detective Sgt. Benjamin Katz filed an affidavit detailing parts of the investigation. Investigators said Bourgoin was driving northbound in the southbound lanes just before midnight Saturday when he hit a car carrying five teenagers. Bourgoin then stole an officer's cruiser, police said, and fled southbound -- only to turn around and return to the scene where he hit the victims' car a second time. Williston Officer Eric Shepherd was the first officer on the scene. He told investigators Bourgoin was driving at nearly 100 mph when he caused the second crash. The five teens were pronounced dead at the scene. Seven other cars were also hit, injuring five additional victims who received treatment at UVM Medical Center. Shepherd said he ordered everyone off the road to avoid Bourgoin as he approached again. He said Bourgoin did not try to brake and may have even been accelerating toward the original crash scene. The force of the crash caused Bourgoin to be ejected from the police cruiser. Shepherd then arrested him. He said Bourgoin did not say anything, but made attempts to leave the scene while being treated by medics. Shepherd said he recognized Bourgoin because he was the same officer who arrested him in May after his alleged domestic incident. Shepherd also stated he knew Bourgoin suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, although he did not elaborate on how he knew that in the court documents. Katz stated Bourgoin's ex-girlfriend told police he had a criminal record which included domestic assault. In a May 2016 incident, she reported to police that Bourgoin drove around the Williston area with her and their child while speeding and threatening to drive the car into a pond. "When he gets in his moods, he does not think clearly, and has no regard for those around him, even loved ones," his ex-girlfriend told police. "When Steven is in these moods, it is usually because he ran out of marijuana which he used to stabilize his mood swings. It was always very evident when he was out (of marijuana), as he would be more angry and violent during those times." She also told police the truck Bourgoin was driving at the time of the crash belonged to her father. While her father owned the truck, but she said Bourgoin was permitted to drive it. Bourgoin was making payments and paying for the truck's insurance, Bourgoin's ex-girlfriend told police. Katz also stated that during the investigation, he learned that security guards at the UVM Medical Center emergency room recognized Bourgoin when he arrived for treatment. Katz said he viewed security camera videos of the parking lot and emergency room entrance, which showed Bourgoin entering the emergency room three times Saturday morning. Katz said he saw Bourgoin on the security camera footage from 8:45-8:49 a.m., from 9:39-9:47 a.m., and from 11:03-11:05 a.m. Bourgoin was wearing the same orange shirt in the hospital footage as the one he was wearing at the time of the crash, Katz stated. Katz said he also saw Bourgoin's truck on the security camera footage. Katz said he called the Howard Center and that they were called to the emergency room, but did not screen Bourgoin. Bourgoin was seen by a physician's assistant instead. A warrant was issued for Bourgoin's arrest on the two preliminary charges. Investigators said he was the primary suspect in the deaths of the five teens, but so far no additional charges have been filed. Police said that could happen sometime this week. Prosecutors asked Monday to have Bourgoin's bail increased on this previous domestic assault charges. Bourgoin was released on his own recognizance in May, but a judge granted a $1 million bond on Monday. If charged with five counts of murder, Bourgoin could face five life sentences. He previously faced charges of criminal possession of a weapon and driving under the influence in New York in September 2002 and a second DUI charge in October 2002. Bourgoin remains at UVM Medical Center, where he's receiving treatment for injuries he suffered in the crash. His condition was upgraded Tuesday morning from critical to serious.