WOODSTOCK — The driver accused in a DUI crash that killed a 62-year-old pedestrian last December took a plea deal Tuesday that could let him avoid jail time.
The Windsor County State’s Attorney’s Office originally charged Hank Ryan Rodrigues, 39, of Reading, with a felony count of DUI with death resulting from a single-vehicle crash that left Hartland resident Janet Spencer dead at the scene.
On Tuesday, Rodrigues pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of negligent operation causing serious bodily injury. The plea carries a two-year deferred sentence.
If he violates the terms of his probation within those two years, Rodrigues could be sentenced to prison.
On Dec. 21, 2025, just before 5:30 p.m., Woodstock Police Officer Elizabeth Turco responded to a reported crash with injury on South Road in Woodstock, where Rodrigues, the driver, and a friend of Spencer’s were standing near her, according to a police affidavit.
Rodrigues’ vehicle had significant damage, and Spencer was lying about 10 feet in front of it. Turco performed CPR until an ambulance arrived two minutes after she did, the affidavit stated.
Rodrigues told Turco he was driving home to Reading from work on South Road and had stopped at Cumberland Farms along the way. As he rounded a bend, he saw a person wearing dark clothing in the middle of the road.
Despite an attempt to avoid the collision, Rodrigues struck Spencer head-on, court documents indicate. He told police he had been traveling at 40 to 45 mph, which would have been within the road’s 50 mph speed limit.
“He stated that he did not see the pedestrian until the last second,” according to Lt. Richard King, who filed the affidavit on behalf of the Windsor County Sheriff’s Department.
Rodrigues also said he and another person started CPR while waiting for an ambulance, according to the affidavit.
King reported that, upon arrival, he observed an open, partially consumed White Claw in the passenger-side door of Rodrigues’ vehicle and the odor of burnt marijuana.
A preliminary breath test showed Rodrigues had a blood alcohol content of 0.00%, indicating he had not recently consumed alcohol, according to the affidavit. The legal limit for drivers 21 and older is 0.08%.
The affidavit noted that Rodrigues admitted to smoking one joint of marijuana the day before, but said the open container of alcohol belonged to his girlfriend.
After Rodrigues was taken to the Vermont State Police barracks in Royalton, officers conducted a drug influence evaluation and requested an evidentiary blood sample. On Jan. 13, the Vermont Forensic Laboratory reported the presence of THC in Rodrigues’ blood, according to the affidavit.
The original felony charge of driving under the influence with death resulting carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison or a $10,000 fine, or both.
The maximum sentence for the misdemeanor charge Rodrigues pleaded no contest to is two years in prison or a $3,000 fine, or both. If Rodrigues follows the terms of his probation, he could avoid jail time entirely.
Under the plea deal, he may not engage in criminal behavior, must communicate with his probation officer and follow the officer’s requirements, and must complete the next available session of the Impaired Driver Rehabilitation Program or a similar program.
Neither public defender Evan Antal nor prosecuting attorney Matthew Dolezal responded by deadline to comment requests Friday. Verifiable contact information for Rodrigues was not publicly available.
According to her obituary, Spencer had a consulting career, where she “worked globally, developing leaders and advising organizations with her characteristic rigor and insight.” She cherished her family and friends and enjoyed reading, gardening and cooking.
