Maine man charged, three hurt in four-car crash on Interstate 95 south in North Hampton
NORTH HAMPTON — A Maine man is facing criminal charges after allegedly causing a four-car crash on Interstate 95 South Saturday night that injured three people.
Douglas McKay, 50, of Cape Neddick, Maine, was charged with aggravated driving under the influence of drugs or liquor, driving under the influence of drugs or liquor, reckless conduct and vehicular assault.
New Hampshire State Police responded to the accident at 9:14 p.m. on Interstate 95 south near mile marker 6.6 in North Hampton. Due to the number of vehicles involved in the crash and a large amount of debris, state police closed all travel lanes on the southbound side of the highway. The closed traffic lanes, they said, allowed for treatment of the injured by medical personnel and investigation of the crash scene by troopers.
Police said a preliminary investigation indicates a 2020 Subaru Outback operated by McKay had been traveling along Interstate 95 north when it veered to the left and traveled across the grass median, continuing north on I-95 south into oncoming traffic.
Police said the Subaru struck a 2013 Honda Civic operated by Sienna Waite, 24, of Salem, Massachusetts. After the initial impact between the Subaru and the Honda, police said a 2021 Nissan Rouge, operated by Amanda Porter, 45, of Amesbury, Massachusetts, and a 2022 Mini Cooper, operated by Ethan Jury, 34, of Philadelphia, were struck by the Subaru and or the Honda as the vehicles separated from one another immediately after the initial impact.
State police said three were injured as a result of the crash. Waite and her adult passenger were transported to a local area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
McKay was also transported to a local hospital for treatment of serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
Police said based on the preliminary investigation, McKay was arrested on aggravated driving under the influence of drugs or liquor (Class B felony), driving under the influence of drugs or liquor (Class B misdemeanor), reckless conduct (Class B felony), and vehicular assault (Class A misdemeanor).
In order to facilitate McKay’s admission to the hospital, police said a bail commissioner set personal recognizance bail. McKay was released into the custody of the hospital, pending an appearance in Rockingham County Superior Court on a date and time to be determined by the court.
Interstate 95 south was closed for two and a half hours, with the flow of traffic limited to only the left breakdown lane, police said. It was fully reopened at 11:45 p.m.
Multiple agencies assisted state police, including the North Hampton Police Department, North Hampton Fire Department, Hampton Fire Department, New Hampshire Department of Transportation, National Wrecker Service, New England Truck Center, and Dave’s Garage.
The crash remains under investigation by state police troopers Stephen Galvin and Seth Parker. Police ask anyone with information to contact Galvin at Stephen.M.Galvin@dos.nh.gov or Parker at Seth.W.Parker@dos.nh.gov or call state police at (603) 223-4381.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Maine man charged in four-car crash on I-95 south in North Hampton
