BREAKING: Judge denies motions to dismiss and venue change in North Hero manslaughter case

NORTH HERO – A state judge last week rejected requests from a St. Albans woman charged with killing one motorcyclist and critically injuring another last year to either dismiss her criminal charges or move her case out of North Hero to another county.

Ellen E. Willson, 39, of Federal Street has pleaded not guilty in Vermont Superior Court in North Hero to several charges, including involuntary manslaughter and two counts of gross negligent operation: one with death resulting and one with serious bodily injury, all from the June 15, 2025, crash. 

Grand Isle County State’s Attorney Doug DiSabito had objected to both motions claiming they were groundless and premature.

Judge Navah Spero agreed with the prosecution on both requests.

She noted that defense lawyer Richard McCormick failed to support his one-page motion to move the trial with any evidence.

“Defendant here has not made the requisite showing. In fact, Defendant did not present any evidence to support any of the factors set forth above. At the hearing on this motion, counsel for the Defendant stated that he filed the motion to preserve the issue,” Spero wrote.

The judge said it might be better addressed when jury selection, known as voir dire, gets under way.

“As such the court denies the motion without prejudice to renewal at a later time – the existence of prejudice can better be determined at voir dire than by speculation about the effect of publicity pretrial. If voir dire produces a satisfactory panel, this demonstrates that a transfer is unnecessary,” Spero wrote in a two-page entry order.

Hunter Rounds, 20, of Grand Isle was killed in a head-on crash when Willson’s southbound 2019 Chevrolet Silverado crossed the double yellow line on U.S. 2 in North Hero near Savage Point Road about 1:45 p.m. on Father’s Day last year, Vermont State Police has said. Rounds died at the scene.

Willson also struck the victim’s father, Jason Rounds, 51, of Grand Isle, who was on a second motorcycle, police said. He was seriously injured in the crash and taken to the UVM Medical Center in Burlington with multiple injuries. Rounds underwent several surgeries and was eventually discharged, officials said.

Spero was more detailed in denying the motion to dismiss the three counts, including the involuntary manslaughter.

“The State cites persuasive case law that stands for the proposition that evidence that a defendant’s vehicle crossed the center line into oncoming traffic and collided with the victim’s vehicle in the victim’s lane, that a defendant was driving erratically, that defendant was speeding and tailgating, or that defendant was swerving is sufficient to support a finding of criminal negligence,” Spero wrote in a 7-page ruling.

She said with the evidence taken in the light most favorable to the State, it is also sufficient for a jury to find that Ms. Willson was criminally negligent in the manslaughter case.

As far as being grossly negligent for the other two charges, the Judge said the prosecution proved its point.

“Taken in the light most favorable to the State, the evidence here is sufficient for a jury to find that Ms. Willson was grossly negligent. The State has presented admissible evidence of Ms. Willson’s driving shortly before the collision. The evidence establishes that Ms. Willson was driving erratically for at least 11 miles before the crash: at times Ms.
Willson drove at excessive speeds, approached vehicles in front of her too close before slamming on the brakes and decelerating significantly, and swerved into the oncoming lane of traffic,” the judge wrote.

Just moments before the collision, Ms. Willson crossed into oncoming traffic and drove directly at another driver in the wrong lane, the judge noted.

“The evidence also establishes that Ms. Willson drove into oncoming lane of travel and hit the two alleged victims,” Spero wrote.

She added the area of impact occurred when Willson’s truck was 12 feet into the opposite, northbound lane and was traveling at 37 miles per hour a half second before impact with no significant braking from her.

Willson also has denied a new charge of obstruction of justice by refusing a court order to provide the passcode to her cellphone as part of the Vermont State Police investigation.

Willson claimed she did not know the access to the cellphone, but suddenly remembered when the judge held her in contempt of court and sent her to jail to reflect on the issue. Willson was released after spending an afternoon in prison and suddenly remembering the passcode that she claimed for weeks she did not know.

She also claimed it was not her phone, but the judge said her comments to state police at the scene and captured on video, indicated otherwise.