A number of Monadnock region police departments responded to car accidents on Tuesday morning, as chilly temperatures lead to poor travel conditions.
Icy road conditions sent two 18-wheel tractor trailers off the road in the early part of the morning, according to Peterborough Police Chief Scott Guinard.
“These [accidents] were both due to extremely poor road conditions,” said Guinard. “It took some time for the Department of Transportation to respond and treat the roads.”
The first accident occurred at 6:19 a.m. on Route 101, when a 2000 Volvo tractor trailer, driven by Jorge Espinal, 41, of Allenstown, Pennsylvania, was traveling down the hill and approaching the roundabout when he lost control due to the icy road conditions. Espinal’s truck jack-knifed, crossing into the westbound lane and colliding with the west-side guardrails.
The impact ripped open the fuel tank of the truck, spilling diesel fuel, some of which was able to seep into the soil across the street on the eastbound side. The Department of Environmental Services responded to assess the damage from the spilled fuel.
The truck had to be towed from the scene by a heavy-duty towing company, but Espinal was not injured.
Another truck accident caused by icy road conditions occurred shortly after the first, at 6:35 a.m. on Route 136, east of Burke Road. A 2017 Freightliner, driven by Joshua Doalamo, 31, of Pascoag, Rhode Island, was traveling east when he lost control due to the icy road conditions, sliding off the road and colliding with a tree. There was only minor damage to the vehicle, and after it was towed back onto the road, it was able to be driven away. Doalamo was not injured.
Both roads were closed in the immediate aftermath of the accidents.
Police in Francestown were dispatched to two separate weather-related accidents on Tuesday.
Chief Fred Douglas was dispatched to a truck rollover on Route 136 in the Reid Road area at 7 a.m.
While he was en route to the call, Douglas said he was alerted of another rollover in the same vicinity.
Neither of the drivers sustained any injuries. Both vehicles incurred varying levels of damage, although neither were totaled.
The two rollovers points to a larger problem, Douglas said.
“There are serious concerns that state-maintained roads were not properly treated,” Douglas said on Tuesday afternoon.
He said the department also responded to an accident report when the region recorded its first inch of snow, which started flying on Sunday, Nov. 20, and carried through until the following morning.
Douglas said the town needs to meet with NH DOT officials to discuss why there have been so many accidents on roads in Francestown within a short time frame.
“State roads in Francestown are not being maintained in a timely fashion.”
“It’s about safety, not about anything else,” Douglas said.
Bennington Police said they have responded to one weather related vehicle crash.
Bryan Card, of Deering, was traveling southbound on Route 47 at 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning when he lost control of his 2016 Chevy pickup. The vehicle rolled on its side, causing moderate damage to the truck. Card walked away from the incident unscathed.
Chief Bret Sullivan said there is a sheet of ice covering many roads in town, which is making driving more treacherous than usual.
While checking Mountain Road in Jaffrey for slippery road conditions, police discovered a 2004 Subaru Legacy that had crashed into the woods.
The Legacy, driven by Mark Posco, 59, of Keene, was traveling eastbound and lost control going around a corner, colliding with a gate at a dirt access road. The vehicle was towed from the scene and no injuries were reported.