# Father Confronts Vermont State Police With an Excavator During Son’s Arrest — The Family’s Actions End in Criminal Charges
**VERMONT, UNITED STATES —** What began as an attempt to arrest a 24-year-old man quickly escalated into a dangerous confrontation involving his parents, multiple state troopers, and a powerful construction excavator.
Vermont State Police had arrived to take **Brandon Tolman** into custody following allegations that he had assaulted someone inside their home and threatened to kill them.
But the officers encountered resistance almost immediately.
Brandon refused to cooperate with the arrest. His mother repeatedly challenged the officers and attempted to intervene. His father became involved in a confrontation with police while operating an excavator.
The situation grew so dangerous that officers later reported fearing for their lives.
Bodycam footage captured the chaotic encounter, which resulted in criminal allegations against all three family members.
The legal consequences would be very different for each of them.
## PART 1 — Police Attempt to Arrest Brandon as His Parents Intervene
### Officers Arrive to Take Brandon Into Custody
The footage begins with Vermont State Police officers approaching a man they identify as Brandon Tolman.
An officer confirms his name and asks him to step aside.
The encounter initially appears relatively calm.
But the situation changes when the officer announces that Brandon is under arrest.
He instructs Brandon to place his hands behind his back.
Brandon questions the arrest and does not immediately comply.
Officers repeat their commands.
The confrontation quickly becomes physical.
### The Allegations Behind the Arrest
According to the video’s case summary, the arrest stemmed from a separate incident that occurred two days earlier.
Brandon, then 24 years old, was accused of assaulting someone inside that person’s home while intoxicated.
He was also accused of threatening to kill the person.
Those allegations led Vermont State Police to seek his arrest.
However, the supplied account does not establish that Brandon was convicted of those offenses.
### His Parents Become Involved
As officers attempt to detain Brandon, his parents begin interfering with the encounter.
The video identifies his mother as **Amy Tolman** and his father as **Wayne Tolman**.
Officers repeatedly tell family members to move away.
They explain that Brandon must be taken into custody.
But the family challenges their authority.
At several points, people demand to see a warrant and question why police are on their property.
The officers insist that the arrest must proceed.
### The Confrontation Becomes Chaotic
Multiple voices overlap as the officers attempt to gain control.
Commands to stop resisting and get on the ground are repeated.
Family members continue arguing.
Officers warn that anyone who interferes with the arrest could face criminal charges.
The atmosphere becomes increasingly hostile.
What should have been the arrest of one suspect is turning into a confrontation involving an entire family.
### Officers Try to Negotiate
Rather than immediately escalating the use of force, officers repeatedly attempt to explain what needs to happen.
They tell the family that Brandon must accompany them.
They explain that the family can address concerns through the legal process.
But the arguments continue.
The parents remain involved while officers try to secure Brandon.
The confrontation is about to become significantly more dangerous.
—
## PART 2 — Father Uses an Excavator as Officers Fear for Their Safety
### Heavy Machinery Changes Everything
As the confrontation continues, Wayne Tolman becomes involved while operating an excavator.
The presence of the large construction machine dramatically increases the risk to officers.
An excavator can cause devastating injuries through its weight, movement, and mechanical arm.
Troopers repeatedly order Wayne to stop.
They warn him not to move the equipment toward them.
The encounter becomes a dangerous standoff.
### Police Accuse Wayne of Threatening Them
At approximately 6:42 in the video, an officer warns Wayne not to touch the excavator’s controls.
The officer accuses him of previously attempting to run him over with the machine.
Wayne responds by suggesting that if he had actually wanted to run the officer over, the officer would have been killed.
The statement intensifies the confrontation.
The officer interprets Wayne’s words and actions as threatening.
### Officers Attempt to Shut Down the Excavator
Police continue ordering Wayne to stop operating the machinery.
An officer instructs him to shut it down.
Wayne continues arguing.
The officers are trying to prevent the situation from escalating into a potentially fatal incident.
The video captures the tension as they attempt to secure the machine and take Wayne into custody.
### Wayne Refuses to Cooperate Immediately
After officers move to arrest him, Wayne questions whether they can physically restrain him.
He continues arguing with the troopers.
Police repeatedly instruct him to place his hands behind his back.
The confrontation remains tense as officers attempt to secure him.
### Amy Continues Interfering
While police are dealing with Wayne and Brandon, Amy continues challenging the officers.
Troopers accuse her of interfering with their duties.
They warn that her conduct could result in additional legal consequences.
The video later reports that she received a citation for impeding a public officer.
### The Family’s Resistance Leads to Multiple Arrests
Eventually, officers gain control of the situation.
They secure the individuals involved and prepare for transportation.
The immediate confrontation comes to an end.
But the consequences of the encounter are only beginning.
Police now have to investigate not only the allegations involving Brandon, but also the conduct of both parents during the arrest.
—
## PART 3 — Father Sentenced, Mother Charged, and Son Faces a Separate Criminal Case
### Officers Complete the Arrest Process
After the confrontation, troopers conduct searches and secure the arrested individuals.
They prepare to transport them to the appropriate police facility.
The footage includes discussions about the Vermont State Police barracks in Berlin.
Family members ask where those arrested will be taken and when they might be released.
Amy also asks how to file a complaint about the officers’ conduct.
An officer explains that she can contact the police barracks.
### Amy Tolman Faces an Impeding Charge
According to the video’s case summary, Amy Tolman, then 48, was charged with impeding a public officer.
The narration states that her case remained ongoing at the time of the report.
No conviction is established in the supplied transcript.
She remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
### Wayne Tolman Faces Multiple Felony Charges
Wayne Tolman, then 52, initially faced several criminal allegations.
These reportedly included two counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon, impeding a public officer, resisting arrest, and reckless endangerment.
He initially pleaded not guilty.
However, the video states that he later entered a plea agreement.
### Wayne Pleads Guilty
According to the narration, Wayne pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon and one count of impeding a public officer.
His other charges were dismissed as part of the reported resolution.
He was sentenced to **90 days in jail**.
Because he received credit for time already served, the video reports that he was released within approximately one week of sentencing in September 2022.
### Four Years of Probation and a Restriction on Excavator Use
Wayne was also reportedly sentenced to four years of probation.
He was ordered to complete 40 hours of community service.
One of the most unusual conditions involved the excavator.
According to the video, Wayne was prohibited from operating an excavator unless supervised by someone approved by his probation officer.
That person could not be Brandon.
The restriction directly reflected the danger involved in the confrontation.
### Troopers Report Lasting Trauma
The video states that two troopers involved in the incident believed Wayne’s sentence was too lenient.
According to the narration, they reported continuing trauma associated with the encounter.
Their comments underscore how seriously they viewed the danger posed by the machinery.
### Brandon Tolman’s Criminal Charges
Brandon faced a separate criminal case involving allegations from the incident that preceded the arrest.
The video reports charges including:
– Two counts of felony aggravated assault.
– Felony burglary of an occupied dwelling.
– Simple assault.
– Unlawful mischief.
– Resisting arrest.
He reportedly pleaded not guilty.
The narration states that he was released on bond into his mother’s custody.
### Brandon’s Case Remains Unresolved
According to the video’s closing summary, Brandon’s next hearing was scheduled for **January 19, 2027, at 9:00 a.m.**
The narration discusses a possible maximum prison exposure of 41 years and six months if convicted of the relevant offenses, depending on sentencing rules.
That figure is not a sentence imposed by a judge.
The video also suggests that defense motions and continuances contributed to the length of the proceedings.
However, without reviewing the court docket, the reasons for those delays cannot be independently established.
Brandon remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
### Three Family Members, Three Different Legal Outcomes
The confrontation began with police attempting to arrest Brandon.
His parents became involved.
Wayne’s use of an excavator transformed the situation into a potentially life-threatening encounter.
All three family members faced legal consequences.
Wayne’s case resulted in a guilty plea and a sentence.
Amy’s case was described as ongoing.
Brandon’s criminal proceedings were also unresolved in the supplied video.
The footage demonstrates how quickly a police arrest can escalate when family members intervene — and how the legal consequences can extend far beyond the original suspect.
—
## LEGAL ANALYSIS — Police Arrest Powers, Aggravated Assault, and Interference With Officers
### Why Police Attempted to Arrest Brandon
Officers were seeking to take Brandon into custody following allegations involving a separate assault.
The legal authority for an arrest depends on applicable warrant and probable-cause requirements.
The supplied transcript does not include the complete arrest documentation.
### Can Family Members Interfere With an Arrest?
Family members have the right to express concerns and pursue legal remedies.
However, physically obstructing officers during a lawful arrest may result in criminal liability.
Whether particular conduct constitutes an offense depends on the applicable statute and facts.
### Why the Excavator Was Considered Dangerous
Heavy construction equipment can cause serious bodily injury or death.
An object does not necessarily have to be designed as a weapon to be treated as a deadly weapon under applicable law.
Its manner of use can be legally significant.
Wayne’s reported guilty plea involved aggravated assault charges relating to the confrontation.
### What Is Aggravated Assault on a Police Officer?
Aggravated assault generally involves specified serious or threatening conduct.
Additional statutory elements may apply when the alleged victim is a law enforcement officer.
The exact legal requirements depend on the charged offense.
### Why Police Repeatedly Ordered Wayne to Stop
Officers were attempting to control a situation involving dangerous machinery.
The movement of an excavator near people can create immediate safety concerns.
Commands to stop the equipment were intended to prevent further escalation.
### What Is Impeding a Public Officer?
Impeding a public officer generally involves interference with an officer’s lawful duties under the applicable state statute.
Not every verbal disagreement qualifies as a criminal offense.
The prosecution must establish the necessary elements.
### Why Wayne’s Guilty Plea Matters
A guilty plea is different from a pending criminal allegation.
According to the video, Wayne admitted guilt to specified charges through a plea agreement.
The court then imposed a sentence.
His reported conviction must be distinguished from the unresolved charges involving Amy and Brandon.
### Why Wayne Was Released Shortly After Sentencing
The video reports a 90-day jail sentence with credit for time already served.
Such credit can reduce the amount of incarceration remaining after sentencing.
The narration states that Wayne was released within approximately one week.
### Probation and Restrictions on Heavy Equipment
Courts may impose lawful probation conditions connected to public safety and the underlying offense.
Wayne’s reported excavator restriction was directly related to the confrontation.
Violating probation conditions may carry additional legal consequences.
### Why Brandon’s Case Must Be Evaluated Separately
Brandon’s alleged offenses and his father’s guilty plea are legally distinct.
One family member’s conviction does not establish another family member’s guilt.
Brandon’s unresolved charges remain subject to the criminal justice process.
### The Meaning of a Not-Guilty Plea
A defendant who pleads not guilty retains the presumption of innocence.
The prosecution must prove the charged offenses unless the case is otherwise resolved.
The transcript does not establish a conviction in Brandon’s case.
### Maximum Prison Exposure Is Not an Actual Sentence
The video describes a theoretical maximum exposure of 41 years and six months for Brandon.
That figure depends on the offenses involved and applicable sentencing rules.
It does not mean that Brandon has received, or necessarily will receive, such a sentence.
### Why Bodycam Footage Requires Context
Bodycam recordings provide important evidence of police encounters.
However, recordings may not capture every relevant event.
The legal outcome may also depend on witness statements, documents, physical evidence, and court proceedings.
The video’s narration includes legal information not directly visible in the footage.
### The Importance of Distinguishing Allegations From Convictions
Accurate reporting must separate criminal accusations from established court outcomes.
Wayne’s reported guilty plea and sentence are distinct from the unresolved proceedings involving Amy and Brandon.
This distinction is especially important when discussing incidents that attract public attention through dramatic police footage.
—
## Legal Disclaimer
This article is intended for news reporting, commentary, and educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice.
The events, criminal charges, plea agreement, sentence, and future hearing date are based on the supplied video transcript. Official police records and court documents have not been independently verified.
Wayne Tolman’s reported guilty plea and sentence are distinguished from the unresolved allegations involving Amy and Brandon Tolman.
All individuals facing unresolved charges are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
—
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