Bennington man charged with 14 counts, including attempted murder, following in sword attack at Donovan’s Pub

BENNINGTON — An intoxicated individual armed with a samurai sword broke through two of Donovan’s Irish Pub’s glass doors Tuesday evening as patrons, including two Bennington Select Board members and the chair of the Shaftsbury Select Board, scrambled for their lives.

Kevin Simmons, 26, of Bennington, who lives within 100-feet of Donovan’s on Main Street, was arraigned Wednesday on 14 counts, including an attempted murder charge. He is also facing 13 other charges, including aggravated assault with a weapon, burglary with a deadly weapon, unlawful mischief, simple assault, four assaults with bodily fluids on an emergency professional, and four counts of criminal threatening. Simmons faces a life sentence on the attempted murder charge with a minimum of 20-years if he is convicted. He faces