Police say the Addison County, Vermont state’s attorney was arrested Thursday night when she failed a sobriety test after arriving at a crime scene.

Vermont State Police were processing a potential crime scene in the town of Bridport related to the suspicious death of 44-year-old Stephen Nuciolo Sr. on Thursday. They had called Addison County State’s Attorney Eva Vekos, who responded to the scene. When Vekos arrived just before 9 p.m., troopers say they smelled intoxicants and noted impairment including slurred speech. Vekos refused standard field sobriety tests and was arrested for DUI-Refusal.

She was taken to the State Police barracks in New Haven for processing but while there Vekos also refused to cooperate with fingerprinting and mug shots.

She must appear for an arraignment at Vermont Superior Court in Middlebury on February 12th.

The Democrat won the state’s attorney seat in 2022 and is a former defense attorney. Calls to her office were not returned.

Middlebury is the largest community in Addison County. Town Manager Kathleen Ramsay told WAMC late Friday morning that people are just beginning to hear about the arrest and so far she has not heard any “particular concerns” about it from the community or the selectboard.

According to Vermont statute, the Department of State’s Attorneys and Sheriffs consists of all of the state’s attorneys and sheriffs in Vermont and provides centralized support services including compliance.

In a statement Friday, the department says it “will not be making any comments in regard to the pending matter of Addison County State’s Attorney Eva Vekos.” Executive Director John Campbell adds, “The work of the Addison County State’s Attorney’s Office will continue with the support of our Department as needed.”

Last year the department pressed for the resignation of Franklin County State’s Attorney John Lavoie after an investigation into allegations of misconduct against him.