Police, citing age, withhold name of driver in fatal accident

MEREDITH — Local police are withholding the name of the juvenile driver of a vehicle which last week struck a pedestrian who was seriously injured and died the following day.

Asked Tuesday to identify the driver, Meredith Police Lt. Michael Harper declined. “The operator is under age and I can’t get into that and out of respect for the family,” he said.

The investigation into the accident is continuing, Harper said.

Jane Gregoire, 72, of Meredith, was crossing Main Street in the area of the Post Office about 3:50 p.m. last Thursday when she was struck by a passing vehicle.

Radio transmissions from emergency responders at the scene indicated Gregoire suffered serious injuries from the collision. She died the following day at Concord Hospital.

Harper said no charges have been filed in connection with the accident.

The Belknap County Attorney’s Office has been notified, which is standard procedure whenever there is an untimely death.

Harper would not comment on whether Mrs. Gregoire was in a crosswalk when she was crossing the street. He said he needed to interview another witness to the accident and was checking to see if the incident may have been captured by any surveillance cameras in the area.

According to the press release, printed on a standard form, the driver, who was alone in the vehicle, is a Meredith resident. Harper said the driver was under 18 years of age.