Guilty Plea in 2022 Fatal Rutland County DUI Case

For Immediate Release: Guilty Plea in 2022 Fatal Rutland County DUI Case

RUTLAND, VT – On January 2, 2026, Brett Senif entered a guilty plea in Rutland County Courthouse to a single count of Driving Under the Influence, Death Resulting.

 The conviction stems from a fatal incident on August 26, 2022. At approximately 10:20 PM, Mr. Senif was operating a 2009 Chevrolet Trailblazer on US Route 7 in Rutland when he struck and killed Chelsea Sikora as she was crossing the roadway.

The Vermont State Police investigation, led by Trooper Jonathan Hall and Sgt. Trooper Hein, revealed the following:

• Mr. Senif consumed both cannabis and alcohol prior to the crash. His Breath Alcohol Concentration (BAC) was recorded at .204—nearly three times the legal limit—approximately 30 minutes after the collision.
• The crash occurred during a heavy downpour. Despite limited visibility, Mr. Senif was traveling at or above the speed limit.
• Findings indicated the victim was crossing a five-lane section of Route 7 where no crosswalk was present.

Investigators emphasized that the combination of alcohol and cannabis significantly impairs perception and reaction times, particularly in dark, poorly lit conditions.

The State reached a plea agreement resulting in a sentence of one to five years, with a split sentence requiring Mr. Senif to serve 104 days in a correctional facility on consecutive weekends. For the duration of his five-year probation, Mr. Senif must maintain total abstinence from alcohol, undergo mandatory abuse treatment, and use an ignition interlock device.

Originally handled by the Rutland County State’s Attorney’s Office, the case was later transferred to the Department of State’s Attorneys and Sheriffs’ (SAS) Traffic Safety Resource Prosecution (TSRP) team.

"Our goal was to balance the pursuit of justice with the specific facts of this crash," stated TSRP Deputy Matthew Dolezal. "This agreement honors the victim and her family by securing a conviction and guaranteed supervision to prevent such a tragedy from recurring,” added TSRP Deputy Dennis Wygmans.

The victim’s family and Rutland County State’s Attorney Ian Sullivan expressed their support for this resolution, citing the importance of reaching a final disposition and finding closure several years after the tragedy.

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