Driver, passenger injured when car hits Hampton Toll Plaza

May 24—Two people were injured, one seriously, when a car crashed into a concrete barrier at the Hampton Toll Plaza on Thursday.

Around 4:11 p.m., New Hampshire State Police responded to reports of a crash near the cash toll collection area on Interstate 95 northbound in Hampton. Upon arrival, state troopers reported finding two people inside the vehicle, a 2013 Nissan Altima.

State police said a preliminary investigation shows the Altima, driven by Thomas Lynch, 78, of North Andover, Mass., was heading north on I-95 north near the cash toll collection area when for reasons unknown at this time he lost control of the vehicle and hit a concrete traffic barrier in front of the toll booth in the fourth lane of the toll plaza.

After the initial impact, the Altima rotated before coming to rest perpendicular to the highway between two concrete barriers in the fourth lane of the plaza, state police said.

After determining that the passenger side doors were inoperable due to damage, a trooper broke the rear passenger side window to get into the vehicle to reach the victims.

Emergency medical services arrived at the scene shortly thereafter and began assessing and treating the occupants of the Altima.

Lynch suffered minor injuries, but his passenger was seriously injured and "not alert," state police said.

Both were taken by ambulance to an area hospital for treatment.

State police said efforts to remove the Altima from the toll plaza took nearly two-and-a-half hours, resulting in the closure of four northbound travel lanes. All travel lanes reopened as of 6:39 p.m. Thursday.

The crash remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact Trooper Bourque via email at Daniel.J.Bourque@DOS.NH.GOV.