A Vermont police sergeant was charged Friday with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and reckless endangerment in connection with a shooting last year that injured two men during a vehicle investigation.

Rutland City Police Sgt. Andrew Plemmons fired into a vehicle as the occupants tried to get away. A state police investigation found that Plemmons was not in imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death when he used deadly force against one of the men.

Plemmons pleaded not guilty and was released.

On the night of July 3, 2023, Plemmons was called in for backup as a K-9 officer was investigating a suspicious vehicle parked near the Giorgetti Athletic Complex that was occupied by Randy Perez-Coiscou and his twin brother Andy Perez-Coiscou, 21, both of Springfield, Massachusetts.

When Plemmons arrived, Radja used a search dog to sniff the exterior of the vehicle, according to a review of the body camera footage. After the dog appeared to show that it detected something in the vehicle, Rajda told the driver, Randy Perez-Coiscou, that the vehicle would be seized unless they consented to being searched, the affidavit states.

When the driver appeared to hesitate, Rajda opened the driver's door. Then the vehicle started and Radja reached into it while Sergeant Plemmons stepped in front of the car, with his hand on the hood, yelling, “Stop,” according to the affidavit. Plemmons pointed his pistol at the driver, saying, “I’m gonna shoot you, stop it.” As the car rolled forward, Plemmons moved out of the way and fired at least three shots into the driver's compartment, and the driver fell out onto the ground, the affidavit states.

The vehicle continued to roll with the driver's door open as Plemmons walked beside it. The passenger, Andy Perez-Coiscou, climbed into the driver's seat, stopped the vehicle and then turned the steering wheel and accelerated, with the door now closed, as Plemmons yelled to him to stop. Plemmons fired at least two shots at him through the open driver's side window as Perez-Coiscou sped out of the park and then crashed, the affidavit states.

Randy Perez-Coiscou pleaded not guilty to two charges of felony aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and Andy Perez-Coiscou was cited on a charge of possession of fentanyl. The brothers have since recovered from the injuries, police said.