Rhode Island Trucker Falls Asleep, Crashes In NH Construction Zone: State Police

CONCORD, NH — A trucker from Rhode Island escaped serious injury early Saturday morning after crashing in a construction zone on the Everett Turnpike in Merrimack.

Around 2:15 a.m., troopers, along with Merrimack fire and rescue teams, were sent to a crash scene about a mile from the Bedford toll plaza. When they arrived, they found a Ross Express tractor-trailer crashed, Tyler Dumont, a public information officer for the department, said. The driver, Kenneth Irizarry, 43, of Providence, RI, reportedly fell asleep while driving.

“Irizarry drifted into the right breakdown lane, struck sand barrels and then drove over temporary jersey barriers where the truck became stuck,” Dumont said. “He was transported to a Nashua hospital to be treated for minor injuries.”

The right lane of the southbound side of the turnpike was closed for around three hours while crews from Northeast Truck Services, the New Hampshire Department of Transportation and Audley Construction removed the truck and reset the barrier.

Anyone who may have witnessed the crash or who has further information that may assist in the investigation to contact Trooper Edward Perciballi at Edward.M.Perciballi@dos.nh.gov or State Police dispatch at 603-223-4381.

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