Dec. 12—One person died in a serious crash involving a tractor-trailer that fully closed the northbound side of the Spaulding Turnpike in Dover Monday.
Dover Fire Chief and Emergency Management Director Michael McShane said around 2:36 p.m. Monday Dover Fire & Rescue personnel were dispatched to the Spaulding Turnpike northbound, for reports of a head-on motor vehicle collision involving a tractor-trailer unit and several vehicles.
According to McShane, a tractor-trailer unit traveling southbound on the Spaulding Turnpike crossed into northbound traffic, colliding with a 2022 Acura and a 2016 Honda Accord.
An additional vehicle collided with the guardrail in an attempt to avoid a collision with the tractor-trailer, state police said.
The operator of the tractor-trailer was identified by state police as Pedro Ivan Ortiz Andino, 29, of Fitchburg, Mass. The identities of the other individuals involved were not released as of late Monday.
The operator of the Acura sustained fatal injuries, and the operator of the Honda Accord sustained minor injuries, state police said.
Two occupants from one of the vehicles were assessed on scene for injuries by EMS personnel but were not transported to the hospital.
One occupant from a separate vehicle was transported to Portsmouth Regional Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, McShane said. Andino was transported to Portsmouth Regional Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The identities of any of the individuals involved were not released as of late Monday.
Spaulding Turnpike northbound is expected to remain closed for several hours Monday evening as the New Hampshire State Police Accident Reconstruction Team investigates the accident.
As of 4 p.m., state police and crews with the Department of Transportation remained on scene. Personnel with the Department of Environmental Services and Dover Fire & Rescue were also on scene responding to a diesel fuel spill of approximately 110 gallons, McShane said.
No further information is available.