HARTFORD, Vt. -
It's a story we first brought you at the beginning of October. A Dartmouth college student... dead after being hit by more than one car on the highway. Today, one of those drivers was in court.
And also, the autopsy results are in. Dartmouth college student Mikhail Lomakin did indeed die after being struck by at least two cars. One of those drivers didn't stop to help. That man made his first appearance in court today.
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It's still a mystery why a promising 24 year old Dartmouth graduate student was lying in the southbound lane of Interstate 91, in Hartford Vermont around 2am October 6th, but police are certain what killed him.
"Head injury, traumatic head injury," Vermont State Police Sergeant Barbara Zonay said of the Royalton Barracks.
Mikhail Lomakin had been at a party the night of October 6th.
"We believe he was probably trying to walk home," Sgt. Zonay said.
Police say his death isn't suspicious, but it was the amount of alcohol he consumed that likely played a role in his death.
"He was over a .2; the legal limit in Vermont is .08.
From where the party was to where Lomakin was lying in the road was a good two miles. Police say the first car to see him was driven by 47 year old Shane Harlow. He initially thought it was a deer, and before he had time to swerve, realized it was a person. Police say Harlow hit Lomakin and never stopped to help.
"He said that he was in shock, he didn't really have any other answer, he did call but it was a good deal of time later," Sgt. Zonay said.
Court papers detail a conversation Mr. Harlow had with police later that morning, he says the pedestrian was not moving before he drove over him, but police think Lomakin may have been alive.
Harlow pleaded not guilty to leaving the scene of an accident Tuesday. If convicted, Harlow could spend two years in prison.
Police don't necessarily consider this case closed, and believe Lomakin may have been hit by other drivers.
If you have any information, please call Vermont State Police.
