No one was injured in a crash that resulted in a vehicle fire on Route 202 in front of the Cheshire Marketplace on Friday night.
Police and fire crews responded to Route 202 at 8:28 p.m. on Friday after a report of a two-car crash. A 2008 Accura, driven by an 18-year-old Sharon resident, was leaving Cheshire Marketplace, and proceeded into the intersection on a green light, to turn South onto Route 202, when it was struck on the passenger’s side by a 2002 Ford Ranger, according to Rindge Police Chief Dan Anair.
The driver of the Ford Ranger, a 47-year-old man from Winchendon, Massachusetts, had earlier that day, called for assistance from the ambulance for stroke-like symptoms, according to Anair.
Earlier that day, at about 3:21 p.m., the Jaffrey-Rindge Memorial Ambulance responded to the Hometown Diner in Rindge for a report of an employee, the driver of the Ranger, experiencing stroke symptoms. Anair did not know whether the driver had been taken to the hospital for treatment at that time, but the driver was exiting the Hometown Diner shortly before the Route 202 crash.
Witnesses reported that when the Ranger driver left the Hometown Diner, he swerved into traffic in the opposite lane before running a red light at the Cheshire Marketplace intersection, and hitting the other vehicle.
The Accura was pushed back to the plaza entrance, and caught fire, according to Anair. The 18-year-old driver and his 18-year-old passenger, a woman from Taylors, South Carolina, were able to exit the vehicle safely and only had minor injuries. The vehicle burned.
None of the three people involved in the crash had major injuries and declined to be taken to the hospital, according to Anair. Travel on Route 202 was able to continue while the crash was cleared and both vehicles towed. The driver of the Ranger declined to be taken to the hospital and was given a courtesy ride home by police.
Charges are pending but have not been filed for the driver of the Ford Ranger.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 924-7172 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on Twitter @AshleySaariMLT.