VERGENNES — A Vergennes police officer and a Vermont State Police trooper were both taken ill on Saturday after inhaling a burning substance in a Northlands Job Corps dorm room while helping center personnel subdue a student police described as “violent and uncontrollable” and “physically aggressive.”
Police lodged the student at the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility, and he was later released from the Northlands program. While subduing the student, police said both police officers became ill from what appeared to be a type of hallucinogenic type of plant that was being burned in the room at the time of the incident.
Police said both officers were “overcome by the smoke and experienced physiological effects” and were treated on the scene by Vergennes Area Rescue Squad, and one officer was taken to UVM Medical Center for further examination. Both were later sent home, police said.  
Between Feb. 10 and 16, Vergennes police also conducted four special traffic details during which they ticketed six motorists and warned eight others, and also:
On Feb. 10 advised a Main Street landlord of his rights to tow a vehicle that had been parked in his lot for an extended period of time. The vehicle was towed.
On Feb. 11:
•  Responded to a minor two-vehicle accident on Depot Road.
•  Dealt with an altercation among four children on Second Street sparked by the destruction of a snowman; police urged all the children to get along as well and asked parents to oversee any future interaction among their children.
On Feb. 12:
•  Responded to a two-vehicle collision on Macdonough Drive in which moderate damage and minor injuries resulted.
•  Helped a motorist get into a locked vehicle on Meigs Road.  
•  Helped Middlebury police find a Vergennes resident and issue court paperwork.
•  Accepted a wallet found on Main Street and contacted its owner.
On Feb. 13:
•  Responded to a two-vehicle accident at Champlain Farms on Main Street.
•  Spoke with a Union Street resident who was worried about a man showing up at her house to retrieve personal belongings; police offered to stand by while the man showed up.
•  Dealt with a report of a stolen cat from a King Street resident; police learned the person who had the cat had taken it to a vet for care, and it was returned to the owner.
•  Responded to a concern of a possibly suicidal woman on Cataract Lane; police learned she had sought medical assistance.
On Feb. 15:
•  Checked the welfare of a North Green Street resident, who was determined to be fine.
•  Assisted state police by responding to a minor two-vehicle accident on Route 22A in Panton.
•  After a traffic stop on Route 7 in Ferrisburgh cited Jonathan C. Opra, 29, of Colchester for driving under the influence of drugs, third offense, and illegal possession of a regulated prescription narcotic; police took Opra for screening at Porter Hospital.
On Feb. 16:
• Helped a New Haven Road resident with a vehicle that had been parked in front of her home for a long time; police contacted the owner of the vehicle, who showed up and removed it.
•  Helped a motorist get into a locked vehicle on Monkton Road. 
•  Responded to an erratic-driving alert for a vehicle northbound on Route 22A, stopped it on West Main Street, and screened the operator for impaired driving; police determined the operator was experiencing nighttime vision problems
•  Cited Dontae M. Carter, 29, Philadelphia, Pa., for excessive speed and driving without a license. Police allege Carter’s vehicle was traveling 92 mph in a 30 mph zone.