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Police searching for New Haven man who quit court-ordered drug rehab

Brian A. Davidson

VERMONT — Vermont State Police are searching for a New Haven man who allegedly discharged himself from a Burlington drug rehabilitation facility Thursday, in direct violation of a court order, according to a press release issued Friday afternoon.

Brian A. Davidson “has a nexus to the Addison County area and it is a possibility he may travel to the area in the immediate future,” police said.

Davidson, 39, had recently begun the drug rehabilitation program after being incarcerated for the past year following a fatal motor vehicle crash last summer in Salisbury.

On July 25, 2020, Davidson was driving “well over the posted speed limit” on West Salisbury Road and, without stopping at the stop sign, continued onto Route 7, where his car “plowed into” a vehicle traveling in the northbound lane, according to a news release issued by state police at the time. The northbound vehicle subsequently “became fully engulfed in flames.” A passenger in the vehicle, Joan Dayton, 72, of Londonderry, Vt., died from injuries sustained in the crash.

The following day police executed a search warrant on Davidson’s car and found several bags of suspected heroin and drug paraphernalia. 

He was charged with grossly negligent driving with death resulting.

In 2018 Davidson pleaded guilty in New York state to one felony count of criminal possession of a controlled substance, stemming from a 2017 traffic stop in Fort Ann. Davidson, then 35, was pulled over by New York State Police because of a broken headlight, according to the (Glens Falls) Post-Star. Police discovered Davidson’s driver’s license had been suspended and determined he was driving under the influence of drugs. Police then searched the vehicle and seized nearly 100 packets of heroin, along with a scale, glass pipes and quantities of cocaine and marijuana. Davidson and the vehicle’s passenger were each charged with two felony counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, and Davidson was charged with DUI drugs.

In 2016 Davidson was charged with possession of a controlled substance in New Jersey and was issued traffic summonses for DUI and reckless driving after Lacey Township police responded to a report of a male subject slumped over the steering wheel of a vehicle parked at a Forked River, N.J., Applebee’s restaurant, according to Lacey Township Police Department records.

At this time Davidson has an active warrant for his arrest in Vermont.

“The State Police urges the public to use caution as Mr Davidson has a history of stealing vehicles,” according to Friday’s news release. “If you come in contact with this individual please do not approach but rather contact the police immediately.”

Trooper Christopher Hein of Special Operations at the Williston Barracks is in charge of the case and may be reached by phone at 802-878-7111, ext. 4047, or by email at [email protected].

For more information visit http://vtstatepolice.blogspot.com/2021/09/special-operations-escape.html.

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