The community of Sheldon is mourning the tragic loss of a young man following a fatal motor vehicle crash Friday night along VT Route 78.
According to the Vermont State Police, Jacob King, 21, of Sheldon, was killed in a single-vehicle crash that occurred at approximately 8:40 p.m. on December 26, 2025, near 1126 VT Route 78. Troopers from the St. Albans Barracks responded to reports of a crash involving operator entrapment.
Police said King was operating a 2015 Audi A4 when he lost control of the vehicle on a roadway that was partially snow-covered. The vehicle left the roadway and struck a tree, sustaining catastrophic damage and was declared totaled. King, who was not wearing a seat belt, was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Two passengers, Brennan Pandis, 21, of Highgate, and Raven Graves, 21, of Highgate, were able to exit the vehicle on their own prior to emergency crews arriving. Both passengers were also not wearing seat belts at the time of the crash. They sustained minor injuries, were treated at the scene by medical personnel, and were later released.
Emergency responders from Vermont State Police, Amcare Ambulance, and the Sheldon Fire Department assisted at the scene.
Investigators believe speed was a contributing factor in the crash. Weather conditions were reported as clear at the time of the incident. The investigation remains ongoing.
Vermont State Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash or observed the vehicle prior to the incident to contact Trooper Andrew Underwood of the St. Albans Barracks at 802-524-5993.