Two New York City men pleaded not guilty this week to drug charges stemming from a police chase through Burlington and Colchester last Friday that ended when their car crashed, killing two other people in the vehicle.

Tayami Barnes, 31, of the Bronx, and Ron A. Thomas, 21, of Brooklyn, face felony counts of cocaine trafficking after police say they found large amounts of the drug at the crash scene. Thomas also netted two charges for selling cocaine as part of a separate drug investigation, court records say. More charges are expected, police said.

Both men were arraigned and released on conditions on Monday. A third suspect, who is 18, was referred to family court.



An affidavit says the incident started just after 6:15 p.m. on Friday, May 31, when Burlington police received a 911 call about an altercation involving a firearm outside the Café HOT. on Main Street. The caller said the suspects fled in a white SUV with out-of-state plates.

Forty minutes later, police were dispatched to Perkins Pier for an incident involving the same vehicle. The caller, who works for Hertz, said the SUV, a white Ford Expedition with New York plates, was a rental that hadn’t been returned on time. When he confronted the occupants, they threatened him with a gun, jumped into a black Ford Expedition — which was also a rental — and drove off, court records say.

Using GPS data provided by the rental company, police tracked the vehicle to Pearl Street Beverage. The driver then sped off, "weaving in and out of traffic" and continuing onto the Route 127 Beltline, court records say. Officers pursued but called off the chase after clocking the SUV at 115 miles per hour.

Colchester police picked up the pursuit when the SUV crossed the town line. Shortly after, the car crashed on East Lakeshore Drive and flipped over, killing two passengers. Police say the men were transporting more than 800 grams of cocaine and several baggies of crack.

Vermont State Police are investigating the crash. The agency identified the deceased as 19-year-old Damanuel McLeod, of Brooklyn, and 28-year-old Tywon Parker, of the Bronx. Police are unsure who was driving either vehicle. They also haven’t recovered any firearms.

A police affidavit says officers recognized Thomas from an ongoing drug investigation in which he allegedly sold cocaine to a confidential informant earlier this month. Both SUVs were involved in the drug dealing, the affidavit says. Police said they have applied for a warrant to search both vehicles.

Thomas is already facing charges for eluding officers. Court records say Thomas was driving a stolen vehicle in January when he led Burlington officers on an early morning chase down Locust and Pine streets. Thomas eventually crashed the car at the intersection of Shelburne Road and Swift Street, court records say.