Northfield teen dies after motorcycle accident

BELMONT — A Northfield teen died following a motorcycle accident on Friday. The crash was one of several serious accidents over the weekend in the Lakes Region, and at least four others died.

Officers with the Belmont Police Department responded to a crash involving a car and a motorcycle, operated by Giuseppe Bonanno, 18, in the area of 367 South Road around 1 p.m. on Friday.

The vehicles, a Nissan Pathfinder and a Yamaha YX600, driven by Bonanno, were traveling in opposite directions along South Road when they collided, Chief Mark Lewandoski said Monday morning.

Bonanno was transported to Concord Hospital where he was later pronounced dead as a result of blunt force trauma sustained in the crash.

The driver of the Nissan Pathfinder was not injured and no criminal charges are anticipated, Lewandoski said, noting officers suspect speed played a factor in the crash.

“The biggest culprit here was speed,” Lewandoski said. “People need to slow down.”

Police closed the area of South Road for around four hours as officers investigated the crash. 

Bonanno was a beloved figure in his community, friends of his family said Monday morning. He played on the football team at Winnisquam Regional High School, played hockey for the Laconia Lakers and loved dirt biking and ice racing. 

Members of the football team are spearheading fundraising efforts. Money and gift cards are being collected to support the Bonanno family. Anyone interested in contributing is asked to contact Bridget Puffinburger via email at bridgetpuffinburger@gmail.com.

Thomas Black, whose son Dustin was close friends with Bonanno for over 12 years, called him part of the family.

“My son is his best friend, he’s been like a kid to me,” Black said Monday. “He’s been in my house since he was 3 years old.”

Black was leaving work when he received a phone call alerting him to the incident and immediately drove to Concord Hospital, he said. 

Community members who know Bonanno’s family are also organizing to create T-shirts that read, “fly with the angels — Giuseppe Bonnano.”

“We’re just trying to do what we can,” Black said. “It was like I lost another son, Dustin lost a brother.”

A celebration of life will be held for Bonanno at 10:30 a.m. on Friday at Blossom Hill Cemetery and a wake will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday at Bennett Funeral Home on North Main Street in Concord. His internment is scheduled to follow the celebration of life. 

“Giuseppe was probably one of the most funny people that I knew,” Dustin Black, 18, said Monday morning. “There’s nobody like him.”

Dustin and Bonanno met as elementary school students over 12 years ago and became fast friends. Dustin said Bonanno was like a brother to him and a son to his father. Bonanno loved riding motorcycles and bicycles and was known for his exceptional riding skills. 

“Anytime he could get on a bike, that’s what he wanted to do,” Dustin said.

Dustin said he’s done riding motorcycles — his last ride was taken with Bonanno on July 3. They rode down to the Weirs, traveled to Sal’s Pizza on Union Avenue and realized it was closed so they rode to the Applebee's restaurant in Tilton. After a while, Dustin’s father called the young riders to ask where they were, telling them to come home, so they did.

“We’ve known each other for so long, we have so many different memories,” Dustin said, noting it wasn’t possible to pick a favorite from over the years of knowing each other.

“He lit up a room everywhere he went,” Thomas said. 

Fatalities were also recorded in Loudon, where one child died and four others were transported to Concord Hospital, and in Gilford, where three people died in two separate accidents.