Police probe if two crashes that closed I-93 involved same vehicle

Scene of Sunday night crash on I-93 in Londonderry. (NHSP photo)

State Police are probing whether Sunday night crashes that occurred minutes apart on Interstate 93 in Salem and Londonderry are connected after the driver in the latter crash fled the scene and is still at large.

The incident unfolded around 7:10 p.m. when State Police received a report of multiple vehicles on the sides of I-93 Northbound at Exit 1.

When troopers arrived the found some 10 vehicles on the ramp on either side of the road with at least one, if not multiple flat tires, police say. Initial investigation revealed that a vehicle had struck the Exit 1 sign and a light pole near the exit, which caused metal and other debris to be strewn across the ramp and Interstate, which drivers then struck causing the flat tires.

The debris in the roadway closed the highway northbound in Salem for around 30 minutes while police and fire personnel cleared the debris and got the vehicles cleared.

No vehicle was located at the scene that could have been responsible for the extensive damage to the Exit sign and the light pole, according to safety officials.

Just a few minutes later around 7:20, State Police received calls of another vehicle crash on I-93 north at mile marker 16.4 just north of Exit 5 in Londonderry. Callers reported that a vehicle had struck the left side guardrail, coming to rest in the two left lanes of the Interstate. It was also reported that the operator of the vehicle, a 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan, had fled into woods.

Troopers found alcohol inside the vehicle, and began a search for the subject using a K9 unit, but no subject was found.

Due to debris in the road I-93 northbound was closed at Mile Marker 16.4 in Londonderry for around 30 minutes.

Troopers today are investigating whether the incident at Exit 1 and the crash at Mile Marker 16.4 are related.

If you witnessed or have any information related to either of these incidents, please contact Trooper Luan Sanches at (603)227-0114 or Luan.G.Sanches@dos.nh.gov.

State Police were assisted at the scenes by Salem Police and Fire, Londonderry Police and Fire, and the New Hampshire DOT.