ADDISON COUNTY — On Nov. 30 Vermont State Police wrapped up their role in investigating a bad crash on Route 22A that had sent four people to the hospital with major injuries.
On Oct. 27 at 6:05 p.m. troopers from the New Haven state police barracks were dispatched to two-car, head-on crash on Route 22A near North Cream Hill Road in Bridport. Police report that a 2018 Jeep Compass driven by Tre W. Nichols, 21, of Burlington was traveling north at a speed of 58-59 mph, crossed the yellow centerline, and struck a southbound 2011 Hyundai Sonata driven by Tammy Simmes, 53, of Fair Haven.
Each vehicle had one passenger, and all four occupants were transported to the University of Vermont Medical Center with serious bodily injuries including for Nichols a severe pelvis injury and severe injuries to right forearm; for Simmes severe injuries to both legs, broken ribs and severe right wrist injury; for Nichols’ passenger, James Barabe, brain injury and severe lower abdominal injuries; and for Simmes’ passenger, Leonard Simmes, internal bleeding, severe pelvis injury, severe hip injury, severe ankle injury, broken ribs and left shoulder injury.
Police determined that Tre Nichols was at fault for this crash. On Nov. 30, Nichols came to the New Haven barracks and was issued a citation to appear at Addison County Superior Court, Criminal Division, on Feb. 24 to answer to the charge of negligent driving. Nichols was also issued two tickets for driving at an imprudent speed for the conditions and for not staying in his lane, which carried a total waiver penalty of $440 and four points on his insurance.
In other recent activity, Vermont State Police:
• On Nov. 18 announced that they had wrapped up a lengthy investigation. It began on July 21 when troopers responded to a vehicle break-in at Bristol Falls in Bristol, where several items were stolen from the vehicle, including to a credit card. The total value of the stolen items was estimated to be $1,760.
Police allege that Shane M. Morrill, 32, of Colchester used the stolen credit card in the amount of $1,067.73 at a supermarket in Williston. Morrill had already been lodged for previous charges at the Northwest State Correctional Facility. Morrill was issued a citation to appear in Addison County Superior Court, Criminal Division, on Jan. 27 to answer a felony charge of false pretenses or tokens.
• On Nov. 18 at approximately 7:30 p.m. responded to Bluebird Lane in Starksboro for multiple reports of gunshots in the area. While en route to the scene, troopers were advised that two vehicles had fled the scene at a high rate of speed.
Troopers arrived and located bullet holes in a nearby residence. After investigating, state police charged Bristol resident Eric LaRose, 29, with several counts of assault and reckless endangerment after allegedly firing a gun toward three people on Bluebird Lane. LaRose had been involved in a physical altercation with Starksboro residents Gary LaRose, 41, and Melissa Preston, 40, troopers reported. Police located and arrested LaRose on Nov. 19, and lodged him at the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility without bail. he was cited for:
• Three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
• One count of aggravated assault.
• One count of simple assault.
• Three counts of reckless endangerment.
• Offense committed in the presence of a child.
• Providing false reports to law enforcement.
The New Haven barracks was assisted on scene by members of the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, the Hinesburg Police Department and members of Starksboro First Response and Bristol Rescue Squad.
• On Nov. 18 at 10:53 p.m. located Gary LaRose Jr., 41, of Starksboro on Meehan Road in Bristol. LaRose had multiple outstanding arrest warrants and was subsequently placed under arrest and transported to the New Haven barracks.
While LaRose was at the barracks, he was issued a citation to appear in Addison County Superior Court, Criminal Division, for an unrelated incident that occurred on Oct. 5. The citations were for negligent driving, three counts of reckless endangerment and an offense committed in the presence of a child.
Due to LaRose’s outstanding warrants, police lodged him at the Marble Valley Regional Correctional Facility with no bail.
• On Nov. 19 at 9 a.m., Siera Miller, 33, of Shoreham came to the New Haven barracks to speak with troopers about an ongoing investigation. At that time, police allege that Miller provided police with false information in order to deflect an investigation. State police cited Miller for giving a false report to law enforcement and for being an accessory in a crime after the fact.
• On Nov. 21 at 5:55 p.m. stopped a motor vehicle on Route 7 in New Haven Junction. Police ended up citing Patrick M. Sherman, 26, of Duxbury for driving with a criminally suspended license.
• On Nov. 22 at 4:29 p.m. responded to a single-vehicle crash on Middlebrook Road near Shellhouse Mountain Road in Ferrisburgh. Troopers said they detected signs of possible impairment in the driver, Wilhelm Jerger, 74, of Ferrisburgh. Due to injuries sustained during the crash, Jerger was transported to UVM Medical Center where he was ultimately processed for driving under the influence. Jerger was later released with citation for driving under the influence.
• On Nov. 27 at 9:30 a.m. stopped a motor vehicle on Route 22A in Shoreham. Police learned that the driver, Scott Robar, 58, of Jeffersonville, was driving a vehicle that was not equipped with an ignition interlock device, which Robar is required to have. Police cited Robar for a violation of the ignition interlock restricted driver’s license or certificate law.
• On Nov. 27 at 5 p.m. got a call from a concerned citizen who reported a vehicle being driven erratically, in and out of its lane of travel, on Route 7 in New Haven. Troopers located the vehicle and stopped it near the New Haven barracks. Police cited Owen McLaughlin, 36, of East Middlebury for driving under the influence.
• On Nov. 28 at 1:25 a.m. stopped a motor vehicle on North Main Street in Rutland for an observed motor vehicle violation. Police cited Scott Beriau, 55, of Forestdale for driving under the influence.
• On Nov. 29 issued a citation in relation to an Oct. 5 incident. On Oct. 5 at 9:52 p.m. troopers had responded to a false report of a burglary at the Sugar House Motel in New Haven. During the investigation, police allege that Travis E. Norris, 21, of Shoreham lied to law enforcement with the purpose to implicate another. On Nov. 29, Norris came to the New Haven barracks and was issued a citation answer to the charge of false reports to law enforcement authorities.
• On Nov. 29 at 5:06 p.m., Vermont State Game Wardens approached and checked on a vehicle that was parked on the shoulder of Downingsville Road in Lincoln. Wardens told state police that driver David Jerome, 60, of Lincoln had multiple open alcohol containers and a long gun in the front seat of the vehicle. Wardens observed multiple indicators of impairment, and requested that troopers to respond to investigate further.
Troopers arrived on scene and while speaking with Jerome, troopers also observed indicators of alcohol impairment. Jerome offered to perform standardized field sobriety tests and was subsequently placed under arrest for suspicion of driving under the influence. State police cited Jerome for DUI.
• On Nov. 29 at 9:46 p.m. were dispatched to a one-car crash on Meehan Road near Route 116 in Bristol. State police were told that the vehicle crashed head-on into a tree and the operator had fled the area.
Police identified the driver as 33-year-old Frederick Goodrich of Bristol and located him. While speaking with Goodrich, police observed several signs of alcohol impairment. Troopers cited Goodrich for driving under the influence, driving with a suspended license and giving false reports to law enforcement.
• On Dec. 1 at 2 a.m. were dispatched to a one-car crash on Hooker Road in Leicester. Police report that Clinton Coley, 27, of Middlebury was speeding on a slight curve in the road, left the road and struck several mailboxes. Police cited Coley for driving under the influence.
• On Dec. 2, were alerted to the suspicious deaths of two people at a home on Upper Notch Road in Bristol. See the full story in the A section.