Drivers Of Friday's Double Fatal Crash In Amherst Identified

AMHERST, N.H. — Authorities have released the identities of the two drivers killed in a multi-vehicle crash on Route 101 near the Merrimack Road overpass on Friday.

The Amherst Police Department identified the deceased drivers as Joseph Wayne Leblanc, 44, of Marlborough, New Hampshire, and Keith Clegg, 44, of Nashua.

According to Amherst Police Chief Anthony Ciampoli, preliminary investigations and witness statements indicate that Leblanc was driving an Acura sedan westbound on Route 101 when his vehicle crossed the centerline into the eastbound lane. The Acura collided with an eastbound commercial oil tank truck operated by Clegg, causing the sedan to spin into the path of a trailing small utility-style truck. The secondary impact split the Acura in half.

Both Leblanc and Clegg were pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the third vehicle, identified as Timothy Briand, 60, of Milford, was uninjured. Officials confirmed that each vehicle had only one occupant.

The severity of the collision prompted a large-scale multi-agency response. Several regional fire departments provided mutual aid both at the scene and for station coverage. The New Hampshire Medical Examiner’s Office, the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, the New Hampshire Fire Marshal’s Office, the New Hampshire Department of Transportation, and the New Hampshire State Police all assisted in the response and investigation.

The investigation into the cause of the crash remains ongoing. Amherst Police are asking anyone with information regarding the incident to contact the department at 603-673-4900.