One person was seriously injured after two vehicles crashed into a moose on a highway in southern New Hampshire on Wednesday night.
The crash occurred at 8:15 p.m. Wednesday in the westbound lane of Route 101 in Candia, Fire Capt. Michael Kelley said.
State police said the moose crossed the eastbound side of Route 101 and was hit by a Mazda 3 but was able to cross the median over to the westbound side. Once in the westbound lanes, a Kia Sportage hit the moose directly and it went through the windshield.
The driver of the Mazda was not injured. An adult passenger in the Kia was taken to Elliot Hospital in Manchester for treatment of serious injuries. Both vehicles were towed from the scene due to the extent of the damage.
The moose was a female, weighing about 800-900 pounds, Kelley said. It had to be euthanized at the scene due to injuries suffered in the two collisions.
Route 101 westbound was temporarily closed while debris from the crash was cleared from the road.
Kelley said seeing a moose in Candia isn’t that uncommon, though they are more often seen further north. But he said it has been a while since he has heard of a vehicle hitting a moose in the area.
Candia, a town with about 4,000 residents, is located in Rockingham County, about 10 miles east of Manchester.