ROYALTON — A 37-year-old Tunbridge man died following a two-vehicle crash in which he was at the wheel of one vehicle when it crossed the center line in the road and collided with another vehicle on Route 14 in Royalton on Friday morning.

David Allen Durkee Jr., a 2005 graduate of Chelsea High School, “succumbed to his injuries” at Gifford Medical Center in Randolph where he had been transported from the scene following the accident, Royalton police said in a news release.

Police did not identify the operator in the second vehicle or their condition.

Royalton police said they responded to a report of a crash at 4603 Route 14 at about 8:30 a.m. on Friday and when officer Oscar Gardner arrived at the scene he found two cars with extensive front-end damage: A 2018 Toyota Rav4 and a 2018 Chevy Cruz. Gardner was directed to a male in the operator’s seat of the Chevy Cruz — subsequently identified as Durkee. After checking Durkee, Gardner removed him from the vehicle and began to administer life-saving measures, including CPR, according to police.

Both Durkee and the operator of the other vehicle were transported to Gifford Medical Center in Randolph.

In addition to Gardner, the South Royalton Fire Department, White River Valley Ambulance and Vermont State Police also responded.

A self-employed stone mason by trade and member of the extensive Durkee and Moses families who have deep roots on the Vermont side of the Upper Valley, Durkee was the father of two young sons, said his cousin, Brittany Moses, via Facebook messenger on Monday.

On Monday afternoon, Royalton Police Chief Loretta Stalnaker said via email that she is “unsure why (Durkee) crossed the center line” of the road and the cause of the crash remains under investigation.

Durkee had been involved in prior vehicle crashes and DUI offenses, according to police news releases, including in 2019, when Hartford police arrested him after a motor vehicle stop on Interstate 89 and charged him with driving under the influence. He was also arrested in 2021, following a rollover crash on Fay Brook Road in Sharon and while wanted on a warrant for failing to appear on a charge of driving with a suspended license.

Those with information about Friday’s crash are asked to call the Royalton Police Department at 802-763-8961 or submit information online via the department’s website: RoyaltonPD.com.

John Lippman can be reached at jlippman@vnews.com.