Four people were seriously hurt early Sunday morning when a rollover crash sent two cars off the F.E. Everett Turnpike in Merrimack, New Hampshire, though police say all are expected to survive their injuries. The crash happened around 1:27 a.m. near mile marker 9.0, according to a preliminary investigation from New Hampshire State Police.
State Police say 18-year-old Anjalie Cruz of Nashua was driving a blue 2010 Honda Civic with 18-year-old passenger Ateyah Gendron when she struck the center median concrete barrier, then overcorrected to the right and hit a green 2007 Toyota Yaris driven by 44-year-old Thomas Heath II of Lowell, Massachusetts, according to Patch. Heath's passenger was identified as 34-year-old Keila Castillo. Both cars left the roadway after the impact, and NBC Boston reported the injured included two Massachusetts residents and two New Hampshire residents, all expected to survive.
New Hampshire State Police said on Facebook that both vehicles traveled roughly 30 feet off the right side of the highway and rolled over, sustaining significant disabling damage. The scene required investigation and cleanup.
Two Southbound Lanes Closed After Crash
State Police closed two southbound lanes on the turnpike immediately after the crash, and the article notes a right-lane closure remained in place for approximately 90 minutes while emergency crews investigated and cleared debris. State Police troopers were assisted at the scene by the Merrimack Police Department, Merrimack Fire Rescue, and the New Hampshire Department of Transportation, per the same account.
As of Monday, the crash investigation remained ongoing, and it was unclear whether anyone involved would face charges or citations, according to NBC Boston. State Police continue to investigate the crash, per Patch.
No Curfew Applied to the 18-Year-Old Driver
The crash occurred shortly after 1:00 a.m., a detail that raises questions about New Hampshire's youth driving laws, but it does not implicate Cruz under those rules. Under New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated Section 263:14, drivers holding a Youth Operator License who are under 18 face a driving curfew between 1:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m., according to the New Hampshire General Court, but that overnight restriction no longer applies to 18-year-old drivers like Cruz.
Still, any consequences from the crash could follow a separate track. New Hampshire DMV materials discuss Under 20 hearings, according to the New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles.
A Turnpike Corridor
The stretch of the F.E. Everett Turnpike where the crash occurred is part of the broader turnpike corridor.
In Merrimack specifically, the turnpike passes through the town. The corridor has seen other incidents recently.
Hoodline has previously reported on other serious incidents along this same highway, including a fatal crash near Exit 7E.
