Six injured, none seriously, in head-on crash

ALTON — A head-on crash in Alton Bay resulted in six people being taken to area hospitals for evaluation and treatment and the closing of busy Route 11 at midday Sunday.

The accident occurred shortly after 11:15 a.m. in front of the Mount Washington Dock in the heart of Alton Bay.

According to Police Chief Ryan Heath, a westbound vehicle, driven by Scott Emerson, 33, of Berwick, Maine, crossed the center line into the oncoming lane, colliding with a vehicle driven by David Bergstrom, 64, of Dockham Shore Road in Gilford. There were seven occupants in the two vehicles.

While none of the injuries was considered serious, six people, including four children, were taken to area hospitals for evaluation and treatment. Six ambulances, most from adjacent towns, were dispatched to the scene, Heath said.

The chief said the cause of the accident is still undetermined, but he noted that Emerson told police that he was feeling tired. Heath said there was no sign that either driver was impaired.

The MS Mount Washington, which was in the process of pulling into Alton Bay, called authorities to report the accident.

Three members of the excursion vessel’s crew — Ryan Welch, Nick Griffin, and Josh Lemmon — rushed off the boat to give first aid to the vehicles’ occupants, according to a statement released by Mount Washington Cruises.

“The boat wasn’t even tied up, when I saw my crew running to the scene,” boat Captain Robert Duffey said.

Route 11 was closed for about two hours while police conducted their investigation, and cleared debris from the scene. Both vehicles were extensively damaged and had to be towed from the scene, Health said.