VT Man Charged in I-89 Head-On Collision Posts Bail

The Hartland man charged with killing a Rhode Island woman in a head-on collision while driving drunk on I-89 late last month. What’s more is that the suspect, 38-year old Daniel Cowdrey, was involved in a similar accident in 2001 where he hit a pregnant woman’s car head on, breaking several of her bones and lacerating her spleen.

Court records say that he was below the legal limit for alcohol during that incident, but in regards to the accident two weeks ago, he was charged with driving while intoxicated and negligent homicide. He waived a probable cause hearing and has since posted the the $25,000 bail set during his time at the Grafton County House of Corrections.

Police say that on May 25th, Cowdrey was driving the wrong way on I-89 while drunk and hit 34-year old Ellynn Koelsch of Rhode Island, killing her and sending her 4-year old son to Dartmouth-Hitchcock for treatment of serious injuries.

Since the accident, a memorial fund has been set up online to help raise money for the husband and 4-year old son of Ellynn Koelsch, which has raised over $46,000 so far.