Driver held in preventative detention following fatal crash

LACONIA — The driver accused in Thursday's fatal crash on Weirs Blvd is being held in preventative detention at Belknap County Jail following his arraignment Friday.

Laconia resident Paul S. Noyes, 27, is facing two felony counts of DUI aggravated collision with serious bodily injury, one felony count of driving after suspension with death or serious injury, a misdemeanor count of driving after suspension, subsequent offense, and a misdemeanor count for driving a motor vehicle without alcohol interlock equipped. 

During his arraignment, Noyes was also directed not to have any contact with the surviving passenger or her family, banned from possessing a firearm or destructive device, weapon, or ammunition, and was prohibited from consuming "excessive” amounts of alcohol or any illicit substances.

The crash occurred on Thursday evening just before 7 p.m., when a Kia Sorento driven by Noyes hit a motorcycle head-on, police say, ejecting the biker and his passenger over a guard rail near Christmas Island. The male operator of the motorcycle was killed, and the passenger was airlifted to Concord Hospital where she remains in critical condition.

“They did transport him, but I think he was dead on scene,” Laconia Police Chief Matt Canfield said. “They certainly tried.”

The motorcyclist and passenger have not been named, but are confirmed to be from Sandwich, Massachusetts, and in their late 50s. 

After striking the motorcycle, Noyes’ Kia rolled over onto the driver’s side and he managed to crawl out of the passenger side window. The motorcycle was cut in two, the rear half jammed into the guard rail. The front half shot out behind the Kia’s belly. Bits of auto glass, tail lights and motorcycle fragments littered the new black top as emergency responders and onlookers closed in.

“He [Noyes] was required to have an alcohol interlock device and he was operating a vehicle not equipped with an interlock device,” Canfield said.

Laconia Police Det. Kendra Neri was first on the scene, and gave CPR to the biker before EMS arrived and took over. Members of the Laconia Fire Department, Laconia Police and State Police joined in the effort. 

Det. Neri found Noyes slumped against the guard rail, where he remained as paramedics and state troopers tried in vain to revive the biker. According to an affidavit written by Det. Neri, Noyes appeared to be under the influence of illicit drugs, and nodded off repeatedly as she questioned him. Det. Neri reported spotting track marks on both of Noyes' arms, and Noyes claimed to be a “recovering” heroin addict. 

“I thought it was two [motorcycles] initially myself, so it was actually just one, it split in half,” Det. Neri told The Daily Sun at the scene, confirming a witness account that Noyes appeared to drift into the oncoming lane. 

“I was just driving down the road behind the bike and this car just started to drift right towards 'em, they [the bike] tried to go closer to the guard rail to avoid it, and the car was headed in the same direction, so they collided and sent the two passengers right over the guard rail,” said Josh Hebert, who witnessed the crash. “The front of the bike got sent back toward my direction, the car went to the side and just flipped over.”

As emergency responders went to work, police quickly formed a cordon and diverted traffic to White Oaks Road. 

“I shouldn’t have been driving,” Noyes said to Det. Neri, according to the affidavit.

Despite the death of the motorcyclist, Canfield stated that this year’s Motorcycle Week had been relatively safe compared to other years.

“We’ve had some accidents [in Laconia] but the ones we’ve had so far have not been of a serious nature until this one last night,” Canfield said Friday, but added that the department’s goal is to have zero fatalities.

There have been other severe accidents outside of Laconia, including one fatality in Moultonborough that occurred Wednesday.

“It highlights the danger of travel on the road ways and we’d certainly encourage people to drive responsibly, look twice for motorcycles and operate within proper speed limits as well,” Canfield said of the Weirs Blvd collision. “Our goal is for people to enjoy the week but to do so safely, and if people are going to drink, the responsible use of alcohol.”

According to Canfield, there will be a long and in-depth investigation of the crash that will take weeks, if not months to complete.