Two people injured in N.H. toll booth crash

Two people were hurt Thursday, with one suffering serious injuries, after a North Andover man crashed a car into a concrete barrier at a toll plaza in Hampton, New Hampshire.

According to investigators, Thomas Lynch, 78, lost control of a 2013 Nissan Altima as he approached the Hampton Toll Plaza on the northbound side of Interstate 95 just after 4 p.m.

A state police officer who responded to the crash discovered Lynch and an unidentified passenger both injured. The passenger was “determined to have serious injuries and was not alert,” state police said. 

The officer couldn’t open the car’s doors due to damage, so he broke the rear passenger side window to get inside the vehicle and assess the victims’ injuries, according to officials. Both occupants were taken to area hospitals for treatment. Police said Lynch suffered minor injuries. 

Investigators said it’s unclear what caused Lynch to lose control of the vehicle, but the accident is under investigation. 

Four northbound lanes near the plaza were closed as crews worked for two and a half hours to investigate the crash and clear the scene. Travel lanes reopened around 6:40 p.m.