NH Trooper, Bystanders Pull Man From Smoking Car On Turnpike

MERRIMACK, NH — New Hampshire State Police received a report of a vehicle traveling southbound on the F.E. Everett Turnpike that had left the highway and crashed into the woods on Sunday.

The first trooper on the scene found a heavily damaged vehicle that was smoking and appeared to be on fire with a man trapped in the vehicle.

State Trooper Timothy Repucci of Troop B immediately called for Merrimack fire and rescue teams and worked to remove the man from the vehicle with the assistance of others who stopped at the crash. The victim was removed and Repucci laid on the ground holding the victim’s head to keep him stable. Other people at the scene used a fire extinguisher on the smoking vehicle.

Merrimack Fire-Rescue units arrived on the scene and began to provide medical assistance to the victim and requested a trauma alert at a Nashua hospital. Additional Merrimack firefighters searched the woods in the area to verify there were no victims that may have ejected from the car.

The victim was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital. New Hampshire State Police identified him later as Stephen Deschamps, 58, of Candia. Deschamps was able to verify he was the only occupant in the car, state police said.

The vehicle appears to have left the right side of the highway and traveled hundreds of feet on the right side of the guardrail and then catapulting into a large tree that crushed the roof of the vehicle. State police say no other vehicles were involved based on their investigation.

Preliminary investigation indicates Deschamps was traveling at an unreasonable speed during the lane change when he lost control of his motor vehicle, state police said. This was the major contributing factor in this crash and Deschamps was issued a warning for the unsafe lane change, according to a report.

Merrimack Fire Rescue and NH State Police remained on the scene while D&R Towing removed the vehicle. One lane of travel and the breakdown lane remained closed for about 1 hour.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact TR. Timothy Repucci at 603-666-3333 or by email at timothy.r.repucci@DOS.NH.GOV.

©Jeffrey Hastings www.frameofmindphoto.com/news