Burlington police are searching for a Vermont man who has been evading police as he remains at large after being involved in several violent incidents with people this year.
The most recent incident involving 33-year-old Matthew Kaigle took place on Wednesday, Sept. 1, when he was stopped in traffic. Authorities say Kaigle yelled at a traffic flagger then drove off to a nearby grocery store. When he returned, he became aggressive and slapped an worker at the construction site.
When a second worker tried to step in, Kaigle tried to punch him, then revealed a hunting knife and threatened to stab both workers, saying he didn’t care who was watching.
Not long after the incident on the same day, Kaigle was pulled over by police during a traffic stop but refused to exit the vehicle when told he was under arrest and eventually drove away. Police said they did not pursue Kaigle because of his violent and unpredictable nature.
“Kaigle refused to exit his vehicle after being told multiple times he was under arrest,” a police report says. “Officers did not pursue Kaigle due to his unpredictable and violent history.” Kaigle is still on the loose and faces charges of aggravated assault, simple assault, resisting arrest and simple escape. Police have asked members of the public to call the police department if they see Kaigle but warned that he should not be approached.
This is not the first time Kaigle has been involved in a violent incident. He has four open court cases against him, according to police, including one simple assault, two aggravated assaults, and one domestic assault charge from August 2020.
In addition, Kaigle is the subject on an ongoing criminal investigation regarding a violation of a restraining order and is a person of interest in an Aug. 30 assault.
The police report also details Kaigle’s extensive criminal history. He has had 54 law enforcement encounters since January 2021, the Vermont Daily Chronicle reports, and has previously been convicted on two felonies and five misdemeanors.
Kaigle allegedly threatened someone with a sledgehammer in July, then beat a Black man unconscious in Battery Park at the end of July. During the assault, Kaigle “made malicious motivated statements of the victim’s perceived race/color.” Kaigle was arrested after that attack, which is being investigated as a hate crime.
