Traffic & Transit
NH State Trooper Dies In Portsmouth Tractor-Trailer Truck Crash
NH State Police Staff Sgt. Jesse Sherrill was killed in the line of duty when his cruiser was struck by a truck on I-95 on Thursday.
CONCORD, NH — New Hampshire State Police Staff Sgt. Jesse Sherrill, Assistant Troop A Commander was killed on Thursday when a tractor-trailer truck hit the state police cruiser he was in, while he was working a paving detail on Interstate 95.
NH State Police Colonel Nathan Noyes at a press conference confirmed that 44-year old Staff Sgt. Sherrill, was the Troop A, Assistant Commander, and has been a member of the NH State Police since 2002, prior to that he was an officer in Hooksett NH Police Department.
Portsmouth Fire and EMS responded to Route 95 northbound near mile Marker 14, just before Exit 5 for a tractor-trailer that struck the cruiser. On their arrival, they found a cruiser heavily damaged, and a tractor-trailer into the woods on the right side of the road. The Trooper was unresponsive and immediately transported to the Portsmouth Regional Hospital. A short time later Staff Sgt. Sherrill succumbed to his injuries in the crash.
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The driver of the tractor-trailer was transported to Portsmouth Regional Hospital, treated, and released.
Portsmouth fire and EMS responded to the northbound side of the highway, near mile Marker 14, just before Exit 3 for a tractor-trailer that struck the cruiser around 12:30 a.m. Upon their arrival, they found a cruiser that was heavily damaged and a tractor-trailer into the woods on the right side of the road.
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Three right lanes on I-95 were shut down and NH DOT trucks and fire apparatus blocked the area from traffic traveling in other lanes of travel that remained open. The Exit 3 onramp was closed down, and there were significant backups on I-95.
About three hours after the incident, several cruisers from the NH State Police and local law enforcement departments escorted a hearse from the hospital to Concord to the NH Medical Examiners Office where an autopsy will be performed.
Colonel Noyes said that at the request of the Rockingham County Attorney's Office, and New Hampshire State Police asked the Maine State Police accident reconstruction team to investigate the accident. The Maine State Police Troop K unit that specializes in commercial vehicle investigations is also assisting.
More information will be updated as it becomes available.
©Jeffrey Hastings www.frameofmindphoto.com/news
