Addison County State’s Attorney Eva Vekos pleaded no contest to a drunk driving charge on Tuesday and received a six-month deferred probationary sentence over the objections of prosecutors.
The driving under the influence of alcohol charge can be wiped from Vekos’ record if she doesn’t violate the conditions of her probation. Those conditions include not to drink alcohol in a way that interferes with Vekos’ employment or the welfare of herself and others.
Judge John Pacht offered Vekos the ability to plead no-contest to the misdemeanor charge, which allows a court to impose a punishment without Vekos admitting guilt.
The Vermont attorney general’s office, which prosecuted the case, objected to the structure of the resolution and said in a press release that Vekos failed to take responsibility for her actions. The attorney general’s office also argued that the deferred sentence didn’t take the serious harm that can be caused by drunk driving into consideration.
The case dates back to January 2024 when state police say Vekos, the top prosecutor in Addison County, arrived at a crime scene smelling of alcohol and slurring her speech. Vekos, who told the troopers that she’d had a drink with dinner, was arrested after refusing to take a sobriety test.
Vekos’ actions since her DUI arrest have also strained her relationships with law enforcement and county officials. Shortly after her arrest, she told the county’s police chiefs she wouldn’t appear at an in-person meeting because she didn’t feel safe around law enforcement anymore. In that message, she also told police she’d been hoping to teach grammar skills to get county police up to an “elementary school level.”
Addison County Democrats and Gov. Phil Scott also called on Vekos to resign last week after VTDigger reported she was facing ethics complaints about her treatment of crime victims. Vekos, a Democrat, has refused to step down and disputed the allegations about her treatment of crime victims, according to VTDigger.
Vekos was elected Addison County state’s attorney in 2022. She’s up for re-election in 2026.
