ADDISON COUNTY — A New Haven man died of injuries he sustained in a head-on crash on Route 125 in Ripton this past Thursday, March 23.

Just after midnight on March 24, Vermont State Police reported that Peter Nichols, 77, of New Haven succumbed at the University of Vermont Medical Center after the crash less than eight hours earlier.

Police report that Nichols was driving a 2020 Chevy Tax SUV eastbound on Route 125 between 4 and 4:40 p.m. on that Thursday when his vehicle crossed the center line and crashed head-on into a 2015 Subaru Outback driven westbound by Bruce Perlow, 46, of Middlebury. 

The weather was described as drizzling and the roadway as wet.

Middlebury Regional EMS took Nichols to UVMMC for treatment of what troopers termed “serious bodily injuries.” Perlow was apparently uninjured.

The SUV was totaled; the Subaru sustained heavy front-end damage.

Route 125 was closed for at least two hours for cleanup.

State police are still investigating the crash.

In other recent activity:

• Troopers investigated a March 24 burglary at the Bristol Country Store. Police determined that an unidentified suspect threw a rock at the glass front door of the Router 116 store at around 10:30 p.m. The suspect fled the scene in what is believed to be a silver Pontiac Grand Prix, heading southbound on Route 116. Troopers were unable to locate the vehicle. 

Anybody who witnessed or has more information regarding this incident is asked to contact Trooper Demick at the Vermont State Police New Haven barracks at 802-388-4919. Troopers were assisted by the Bristol and Middlebury police.

Police then came across a prime suspect in the Bristol burglary the next day when they stopped a man for an alleged motor vehicle violation.

On March 25 at 5:37 p.m. a trooper patrolling on Route 7 in Middlebury stopped a silver Pontiac Grand Prix at the intersection of Route 7 and Halladay Road for an observed violation. 

Police said the driver provided a false name to the trooper but was ultimately identified as Scott Clark, 40, of Salisbury. Investigation showed that Clark’s license was criminally suspended and Clark had an active arrest warrant. Police made the connection between Clark and the Bristol burglary the previous evening.

The took Clark into custody without incident and cited him for burglary, giving false information to a police officer and driving with a criminally suspended license. They lodged him at the Marble Valley Regional Correctional Facility.

Troopers again were assisted on scene by Middlebury police.

• State police are investigating another broken glass incident that same night. Troopers report that between 5 p.m. on March 24 and 8 a.m. on March 25 someone threw a rock at the glass front window of the Yandow and Sales and Service building off Route 7 in North Ferrisburgh. Anybody who witnessed or has more information regarding this incident is asked to contact Trooper Nukic at the New Haven barracks at 802-388-4919.

• On March 26 at 10:41 p.m., troopers responded to a reported one-car crash on Philion Road in Shoreham. Police ended up citing William Johnson, 61, of Shoreham for driving under the influence, second offense.

Troopers were assisted by members of Middlebury rescue and the Shoreham Fire Department.

• State police are asking the public’s help in finding a missing person. On March 27 at 7:40 p.m. troopers received a report from his family that Colby Wyatt Johnson, 25, of Panton was missing. Johnson was last seen leaving his Panton residence at around 11 p.m. on Saturday, March 25, in a grey 2014 Ford F-350 bearing a Vermont plate of 347A760. 

Johnson left to run to a local store in Addison County and was expected to return home but never did. 

Police described Johnson as 6 feet, 2 inches tall, 185 pounds with short blonde hair and green eyes. Johnson is believed to be wearing a blue zip-up hoodie with dark blue jeans and navy blue slip-on sneakers. He is accompanied by his dog, a German shepherd name “Koko.” 

If he is seen or found please contact the Vermont State Police New Haven barracks at 802-388-4919.