1 dead, 1 seriously injured in I-93 traffic accident

NEW HAMPTON — A speeding sport utility vehicle went airborne off Interstate 93 Friday and landed 40 feet down a steep embankment, killing the driver and seriously injuring a 16-year-old passenger, police said.

An emergency response helicopter landed on the interstate and transported the passenger to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon.

At 6:33 a.m., police received a call of a vehicle that had gone off the northbound side of I-93 at mile marker 72, which is 2.6 miles north of the New Hampton/Meredith off-ramp, Exit 23.

Troopers found a 2005 Toyota Sequoia down the embankment.

“Initial investigation indicated that the driver of the Toyota made an abrupt turn to the left and then drove right where the vehicle impacted a guardrail and became airborne before landing on its side, amongst several trees,” police said in a news release.

One lane of the highway was shut down for 3.5 hours and the entire northbound side was closed momentarily to allow the helicopter to land.

“At this time, it is unknown what led to the vehicle driving off the roadway, but unreasonable speed appears to have been a factor,” the news release said.

The names of those involved were withheld pending family notification.

Rick Adams, spokesman for Dartmouth-Hitchcock, said that until a name is made public, no information will be released concerning the condition of the injured passenger.

Police ask that anyone with further information about the crash contact Trooper 1st Class Mark Barrett at 603-271-1162 or email at mark.barrett@dos.nh.gov.