Driver Loses His Life After Striking Tree, Crashing Down Embankment

The New Hampshire State Police is investigating a crash on Shaker Road in Canterbury that took the life of the vehicle’s driver.

At around 8:30 p.m. on May 25, 2015, troopers received a report of a car that crashed into a tree with an occupant inside that and was on fire.

Local residents heard the crash and went to the scene of the accident to find a man trapped inside, according to a report. They tried unsuccessfully to pull him from the vehicle, the car, a 2013 Toyota Scion, then caught fire and all further attempts at rescue were no longer possible, according to police.

Canterbury and Belmont Fire and Rescue teams arrived and found the sedan fully engulfed in flames with one male occupant trapped inside who was deceased.

“The preliminary investigation revealed that the deceased was the driver,” according to state police. “The driver was traveling southbound on Shaker Road when he lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle left the roadway and glanced off a large tree. The car then traveled down an embankment and over a large stone-wall where it caught fire. Evidence at the scene revealed that excessive speed was most likely a factor in this crash.”

A passenger in the vehicle was transported to the Lakes Region General Hospital for treatment with minor injuries.

This accident is currently under investigation by New Hampshire State Police, Troop D in Concord. The State Police were assisted at the scene by the Canterbury and Belmont Fire and Rescue as well as the New Hampshire Department of Transportation and the Loudon and Canterbury Police Departments.

The identity of the driver has not been positively identified as of yet due to the extreme nature of the fire.

Anyone with information pertaining to this incident is encouraged to contact Trooper Barrett at 603-271-3636.

Authority: Sergeant Maurice Sampson