Woman killed, driver injured in Laconia Bypass accident – Child in car seat escapes without injury

GILFORD — A Laconia woman ejected from a sports utility vehicle that flipped over on the Laconia Bypass Saturday afternoon has died, and the driver, who was injured, was taken to the hospital, while a one-year-old infant who was a passenger in a car seat was uninjured in the crash.

Gilford Fire-Rescue was dispatched at 4:55 p.m. and the Gilford Police Department was called at 4:57 to respond to the scene, described as being on Route 3 between Morrill Street and Gilford Avenue.

Police are still investigating the accident and are asking that anyone with information, especially anyone traveling behind the vehicle who saw the crash, to contact them.

Gilford Police Sgt. Chris Jacques said the woman who died was Rhianna Santiago, 22, of Laconia. Darren Cartier, 25, of Laconia was the driver of the Ford Explorer.

The child, who survived, was in a car seat, Jacques said.

Deputy Fire Chief Bradley Ober said Gilford Fire-Rescue was already occupied with two previous incidents when the call came in, and asked the Laconia Fire Department to respond. One Gilford ambulance was able to get there just behind Laconia, and the companies found that the Explorer had rolled over, with two occupants in the car and one having been ejected.

All three crash victims were taken to Lakes Region General Hospital in Laconia, where Santiago was pronounced dead. While both Dartmouth-Hitchcock Advanced Response Team and Maine Life Flight were initially called in, one was canceled, and Cartier was transferred to another facility to address critical injuries.

Ober said he has not received an update on the survivor’s condition, and officials were not aware of who is caring for the child.