Basilar artery territory stroke may result from embolism arising from the site of vertebral artery occlusion. This stroke mechanism (local embolism) has been well documented in the middle cerebral artery territory from extracranial internal carotid artery disease but not fully appreciated in the vertebral basilar circulation. We report two patients whose clinical presentation indicated major basilar artery territory infarction documented by angiography to be the result of vertebral artery occlusion and artery-to-artery embolism. Vertebral artery occlusion has often been associated with a benign course, but under certain circumstances embolism to the basilar artery may complicate the outcome.