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Chester bookstore owner hospitalized after
head-on collision

Cynthia Prairie | Mar 14, 2022 | Comments 10

Bookseller Vicki Thornton opening Blair Books & More in 2019. Photo by Cynthia Prairie.

By Cynthia Prairie
©2022 Telegraph Publishing LLC

Ludlow resident and Chester bookstore owner Vicki Thornton was seriously injured late Saturday afternoon when her northbound car was hit head-on on Route 103 by a southbound car that smacked into guardrail, bounced off and veered into her lane. Thornton was heading home after closing up shop early because of the snow.

After being cut out of her vehicle by Chester firefighters, she was transported by ambulance to Dartmouth where she underwent surgeries on Sunday and Monday to repair multiple broken bones and displacements, according to her son Scott Blair, who added that his mother was wearing a seatbelt when the collision occurred.

On Monday, Blair said Thornton recounted that she was driving about 35 mph when she saw a vehicle heading south on Route 103 and hit the guardrail. Thornton then braked to avoid the collision as she saw the other vehicle carom off and head into her lane, Blair said.

Blair added that the first thing Thornton asked about when emergency personnel arrived was her dog Bear, who was riding in the car with her. Bear was uninjured and an eyewitness took the dog for safekeeping until Blair was able to retrieve him that Saturday evening.

According to police, Travis Stella, 27, of Wilton, Conn., was driving south on Route 103 near Route 10 around ~~3:15~~ 5:15 p.m. on Saturday when his vehicle hit a guardrail, deflected off and into the oncoming lane, where it hit Thornton’s car head-on.

Police took Stella into custody and processed him for DUI – Crash involving serious bodily injury. He was cited to appear in Windsor Superior Court in White River Junction on March 29. It could not be ascertained if Stella was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident.

Blair Books & More, which Thornton opened in 2019, was closed on Sunday because of the accident, but will reopen on Tuesday and Wednesday with staff. From then, they will “play it by ear” as staff and volunteers are able to help, Blair said. He added that Thornton has asked the community to support her recovery by supporting the bookstore, which is located at 58 the Common in Chester.