Motorcyclist hospitalized after Mason crash

A resident of Fitchburg, Mass., was hospitalized with serious injuries after a crash at the intersection of Route 124 and Route 31 in Mason Wednesday.

According to State Police, at approximately 8:01 p.m., the Troop B Barracks responded to the intersection of Route 124 and Route 31 for a crash involving a motorcycle and a pickup truck. Police determined that Matthew Leclair, 55, of Mason was driving  a 2009 Ford F-250 east on Route 124 when he collided with a 2021 Kawasaki ZR900 motorcycle driven south on Route 31 by Jessica Westover, 32, of Fitchburg.

Westover was transported to the Elliot Hospital in Manchester with serious injuries. The Mason Fire Department assisted on the scene, and Fire Chief Anthony Burns said transport was delayed by about 10 minutes because a drone was flying over the area, and the helicopter pilot did not want to take off for safety reasons until it was down.

Burns said the New Ipswich Police Department found the operator, and the New Ipswich Fire Department stated on its Facebook page: “While it may seem like a ‘cool opportunity,’ it is actually posing a major safety concern. This hinders the flight crew from taking off to bring a critically ill patient to a trauma center for treatment. We understand that you likely mean no harm in doing this, however safety is our No. 1 priority. Please do not enter an emergency scene by foot or by air.”

At the request of the Troop B Barracks, the Collision Analysis & Reconstruction (C.A.R.) Unit responded to the scene and assisted with the investigation. 

All aspects of the collision remain under investigation, and anyone who may have witnessed the crash is to contact Trooper Madelynn Davis at madelynn.m.davis@dos.nh.gov or 603-223-3777.