Nashua Man Hospitalized After Fleeing From Police, Crashing Into River: Report

MERRIMACK, NH — Merrimack police are investigating a crash on Thursday that sent a man to the hospital after he was accused of fleeing from police and driving his SUV into a river.

Police in town were tipped off about a 2010 Toyota RAV4 that left a traffic stop on South River Road in Bedford. An officer saw the SUV as it drove on the Daniel Webster Highway at “a high rate of speed” past him, Lt. Michael Marcotte said.

“The officer attempted to catch up to the vehicle that was also driving erratically and in the opposite lane of travel,” he said. “As the RAV4 approached the Merrimack Fire Station at 432 Daniel Webster Highway, it was unable to navigate the turn and went through the guard rail and launched over an embankment and into the Souhegan River.”

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Marcotte said the cruiser’s radar unit tracked Deluca driving at “almost 100 mph before the crash.”

Officers and fire and rescue teams jumped into the river to get to Deluca, 32, of Summer Street in Nashua, who suffered serious injuries during the crash. He was then taken to Elliot Hospital via DHART.

Marcotte said charges against Deluca were still pending and will be issued after police complete their investigation.

According to posts on Patch and superior court records, Deluca has faced several prior criminal charges including heroin possession, fentanyl sales, criminal threatening, falsifying physical evidence controlled drug act: acts prohibited, and violation of probation or parole, dating back to 2008.

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