A New Ipswich man suffered a fatal medical issue while driving on Route 124 in Jaffrey Friday night leading to a head-on crash, police said.
Stanford Long, 76, of New Ipswich was pronounced dead on the scene of Friday’s car crash, in which Long’s sedan was traveling east on Turnpike Road when it crossed into the westbound lane, striking an oncoming pickup truck, driven by James Connolly, 33, of Rindge, in a head-on collision around 7:30 p.m.
Jaffrey Police Lt. Christopher LaBrecque said Saturday that Long appeared to have suffered a medical issue that was the likely cause of death and the cause of the crash itself.
Connolly reported only minor injuries.
Turnpike Road was closed for approximately two and a half hours while the scene was investigated and the vehicles removed.
Long was active in his New Ipswich community, serving on both the town’s Zoning Board of Adjustment and the Heritage Commission at the time of his passing.
David Lage, a New Ipswich Selectman who sat on the Zoning Board with Long as an ex-officio, said Long “will be missed.”
“Having served with Stanford on the town’s zoning board of adjustments, I can say that he was a true gentleman and will be missed by the community that he supported,” Lage wrote in an email to the Ledger-Transcript. “As an active member of the ZBA, Sanford was inquisitive and would share his views in making his decisions on the board.”
Ashley Saari can be reached at 924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on Twitter @AshleySaariMLT.