2 Lives From Vernon Now Lost In Early Riding Season Crashes

VERNON, CT — It's very early in the motorcycle riding season and two accidents have already claimed the lives of two Vernon residents.

On Monday, both state and Vernon police were urging riders to be extra cautious this early in the season with sand still on many roads and fluctuating weather.

A motorcyclist from Vernon was killed in a crash in Tolland Sunday. The incident took place at 5:03 p.m. on Tolland Stage Road at the curve where the road intersects with Burbank Road, according to a state police crash report.

According to the report, a 2023 Yamaha sport bike was traveling west on Tolland Stage Road, which is also state Route 74. The driver, identified as 33-year-old Nicholas Mark Rustic, of Vernon, suddenly lost control of the motorcycle, went into a skid and hit a metal guardrail.
He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to a crash report.

The crash is still being investigated and anyone with information on the incident can call state police at 860-896-3200,

A hit-and-run crash on Feb. 27 on Prospect Street in Vernon took the lift of a Vernon resident.

Police said last Tuesday's crash took place at 2:48 p.m. It involved a white 2018 Infiniti Q50, which fled the scene. A motorcycle and two parked cars were involved in the crash, police said.

The motorcycle, a 2008 Harley Davidson, was being operated by James Faulkner, 25, of Vernon. Faulkner was transported to Rockville General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to police.

No charges have been filed in the case.