White River Junction
Matthew Nilsson was in Windsor Superior Court on Monday to plead not guilty to first-degree aggravated domestic assault and to three misdemeanors in connection with the alleged altercation off Route 14 in Sharon and the ensuing pursuit.
Nilsson’s ex-girlfriend, Emma Seaver, 24, suffered several injuries during the incident on Saturday, including a laceration to her lip, cuts to her hand, scratches to her back and shoulders and red marks to her neck, according to a police affidavit written by Vermont State Police Trooper Jonathan Duncan.
Seaver told police she and Nilsson met up at Nilsson’s apartment with the understanding that they would drive somewhere and have a “closing ritual” for their relationship, which had ended a few weeks prior. Nilsson had plans to leave the country, she said, according to the affidavit.
They took her car to a pull-off along Route 14 in Sharon shortly before 6 p.m. on Saturday, walked down a trail and set up a “rock ceremony” with other items that included an animal skull and mushrooms. She said she asked him if he had anything else to say before they parted ways that he replied with words to the effect of “Hopefully this can be a learning lesson for the two of us.” He then choked her for about a minute, she told police.
She recalled fighting back before passing out and waking up alone on the ground on the river’s edge without her cellphone and glasses. She walked toward her car and when she noticed it was gone, she went to a nearby home for help, she said. There, the homeowners, Darryl and Brenda Potter, called police, the affidavit says.
Police photographs of Seaver after the incident show dried blood smeared on her face.
While investigating the case, police reported seeing Nilsson drive past them on Route 14 in Seaver’s car. They gave chase, and he was spotted on Old River Road, and he abandoned the vehicle off Merrimac Circle in Hartford, police said. State police used a K-9 unit as part of the search, but didn’t immediately apprehend Nilsson.
A resident reported seeing Nilsson in the area of Quechee West Hartford Road after recognizing him from a social media post, Hartford Police Chief Phil Kasten said, and officers found and arrested him in the same area around 3 a.m.
Nilsson faces misdemeanor charges of careless or negligent motor vehicle operation, operating a vehicle without the owner’s consent, and interference with access to emergency services, in addition to the domestic assault charge.
This isn’t the first time Nilsson has been accused of assault. He has two prior assault cases in Windsor County, both in 2015, that involved different victims. Nilsson pleaded guilty on Aug. 4, 2015, to domestic assault and unlawful mischief, and on Aug. 10, 2015, he pleaded guilty to simple assault.
Nilsson is being held at Southern State Correctional Facility in Springfield, Vt. He has a status conference scheduled for Jan. 28.
Jordan Cuddemi can be reached at jcuddemi@vnews.com or 603-727-3248.