By BEA LEWIS
Staff Writer
NEW HAMPTON — Police say alcohol and speed appear to be
factors in a one vehicle crash that sent four area youths to
area hospitals on Friday.
Citing juvenile confidentially laws, police declined to
identify the three boys and one girl who were injured when
the compact pickup truck they were riding in went off Beech
Hill Road and slammed into a tree.
The gray 1989 Toyota four-wheel drive pickup truck was
heading south, towards Straits Road, when it left a straight
stretch of road, leaving no skid marks, and collided nearly
head-on with a maple tree.
When police arrived, one of the male juveniles was
walking down the road, and told them he was going for help.
A second male was out of the pickup truck and lying on the
ground when members of the New Hampton Rescue Squad arrived.
All of the victims were conscious at the scene, but at
least two were being treated for suspected head injuries
after shattering the windshield. They were transported to
Lakes Region General Hospital in Laconia. The less seriously
injured boy and the girl were taken to Speare Memorial
Hospital in Plymouth.
Members of the group reportedly told police that they
were returning from four-wheeling in the Sky Pond area when
the crash occurred shortly before 4:30 p.m.
Police removed a nearly-empty half-gallon plastic bottle
of vodka from the truck.
Bea Lewis can be reached by calling 524-3806 ext. 5969 or
by e-mail at
merbur@ncia.net
