Vehicle Flees From Cops, Crashes, Plunges Into Souhegan In Merrimack

UPDATE: Bailey Towing, and D&R Towing are assisting Merrimack Fire and Police in removing the vehicle that flew off an embankment and into a river Wednesday night.

Police say the vehicle was traveling at an estimated speed of 100 MPH while fleeing from Bedford and Merrimack Police.

The victim believed to be in his thirties was extricated and flown by DHART to the Elliot Hospital.

MERRIMACK, NH — Bedford police attempted to stop a vehicle that reportedly refused to stop Wednesday on South River Road.

Merrimack police were notified the vehicle was traveling toward their town. Officers advised the vehicle was occupied by a man and a dog. Radio broadcasts indicated the occupant of the car may be armed with a knife.

Merrimack police attempted to stop the vehicle which continued south on the Daniel Webster Highway. The vehicle lost control and struck a guard rail and utility pole in front of the Merrimack fire station at about 11:45 p.m. The vehicle then plunged into the Souhegan River and began smoking, and was heavily damaged.

Police shouted commands for the man to comply with their instructions. The man was secured by police but he remained trapped in the vehicle. Once the scene was secure, firefighters worked to extricate the man, which took over an hour from the time of the crash.

The dog was rescued from the river by officers and secured on a leash while responders worked to free the man from the vehicle.

DHART helicopter was requested to respond and land in the park near the scene and Bedford Fire responded to set up the landing zone for the helicopter. While en route, DHART was notified the victim had multi-system trauma.

The man was removed from the vehicle and then brought across the river and brought up the embankment.

A Merrimack ambulance transported the victim to the landing zone. DHART transported the man of unknown age to the Elliot Hospital in Manchester.

Several businesses and customers lost power for about two hours while Eversource worked to make repairs.

The vehicle remains in the river, and due to the location, it will be removed Thursday.

This is the second crash in front of the fire station, where a vehicle crashed into a utility pole and ended up in the river. In May a woman lost control, broke the utility pole and crashed at the same location. Read: Car Crashes Into Pole, Lands In River Near Merrimack Fire Station

Merrimack police are handling the investigation, and at this time the identity and specific injuries of the victim are unknown.

Merrimack NH Patch will update as additional information becomes available.

©Jeffrey Hastings www.frameofmindphoto.com/news