N.H. resident who triggered chain reaction crash arrested

HAMPTON, N.H. – Police have charged a man with drunken driving in a chain reaction accident at the toll plaza on Interstate 95 Friday afternoon.

Christopher Ingalls, 37, of Salem was arrested after his Jeep Cherokee triggered the accident that caused three lanes at the toll plaza to be closed, backing up traffic for miles, police said.

Four people were treated for minor injuries at area hospitals after the 4:25 p.m. accident. Ingalls was the only one hospitalized, with a broken leg and numerous cuts.

State police Officer Chuck Winters said the crash “could have been much, much worse.”

Police said Ingalls’ Jeep was traveling north when it sideswiped a car and a pickup truck. The Jeep then struck the rear of another car that was stopped at the toll plaza, and that car was pushed into another car, which also was stopped at the toll plaza, police said.

Officials received reports minutes before the accident that a vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed and weaving in and out of traffic, said Jon Hanson, assistant administrator of the Bureau of Turnpikes.

“People said he was all over the road,” Hanson said. “Thankfully, none of our people was hurt. They are the primary concern for me when someone acts and drives in this manner. We’re like family.”

The toll attendant saw the vehicle coming and dropped to the floor, Hanson said. The tollbooths are designed to protect the attendants from car accidents, he said.

The crash caused traffic to back up more than usual on a Friday when thousands of people are returning home from work or traveling to New Hampshire and Maine for the weekend.

Hanson said the accident happened in northbound lane six, but the crash caused three lanes to close as glass and debris from vehicles were scattered over the pavement. Typically, on a Friday night this time of year, seven to eight lanes are open, but because of the crash, nine lanes were open to help move traffic through more swiftly, Hanson said.