Spaulding Turnpike Crash Leaves One with Serious Head Injury

ROCHESTER, NH – New Hampshire State Police are seeking the public’s help in finding a tan Chevrolet pickup truck, with New Hampshire plates, that was towing a trailer and may have been involved in a road rage incident that caused an accident on the Spaulding Turnpike on Sunday afternoon.

At just before 3 p.m. on June 26, 2016, New Hampshire State Police troopers were sent to a two-vehicle crash on the southbound side of the turnpike. According to the investigation, a 1991 Saab 900SE, being driven by a man in his 60s from Rollinsford, was reportedly involved in a road rage incident with the pickup truck driver towing a trailer, according to an independent witness. Both drivers – according to the witness – were operating in an “antagonizing manner.”

As the vehicles approached Exit 12, the Saab driver lost control of the vehicle, struck a guardrail, left the roadway, and careened across the highway, striking a 2015 Subaru Impreza being driven by a Waltham man. The Waltham man was not injured but the Rollinsford man “sustained serious head injuries,” was treated by Rochester EMTs, and then medflighted to Maine Medical Center, according to Sgt. Keith Walker of the NHSP.

“The operator of the unknown Chevy pickup left the scene,” Walker noted. “The Saab and Chevy pickup did not make contact. All aspects of this accident, including the actions of all drivers prior to the collision, the identification of the operator and vehicle that left the scene, and causation, are currently under investigation.”

Two lanes of the highway were closed for about 20-minutes yesterday during the investigation. Rochester Police, Rochester Fire and NH DOT assisted at the scene.

Anyone with information pertaining to this accident is asked to contact Trooper Kopko, NH State Police-Troop A at 603-223-8490.